The Untold Story of Betrayal
by miragechick2
Summary: Tetane Namikaze, the sister of Naruto Uzumaki, the great nine tails, and the daughter of the Fourth Hokage, is taken hostage and is forced out of her will to join Akatsuki by the nortorious Kisame Hoshigaki and Itachi Uchiha. Rated T for language.
1. Welcome Feelings

01

When I first came into this place, I almost changed entirely. Almost.

I forced my feet to walk, but the injuries and poison rush had only limited themselves to drag lazily. My arms hung loose, but were bound to new chakra rope. Everything hurt and everything took toil on me, physically and emotionally. I had just lost. I've never lost a battle in my entire life. Everything affected me, by the smallest words to the many punctures in my stomach and all around. I've never felt this way before, nor do I ever want to experience this pain. What was this emotion called, again? Oh yes… anguish. That's the exact word.

Someone from behind budges me and commands me to follow with quicker steps. The bluish tints on his skin made my temperature drop, his overpowering muscles made me small and vulnerable, as though he won even now, and his sword is his life saver, and were the weapon that almost lead to my death, but then led to my defeat. This person was the one held responsible for my loss over a long span of a three day battle, injecting a transfer curse into my bloodstream under his pleasure, my kidnapping, and all of my pain. His name is Kisame Hoshigaki, the demon shark of the Seven Swordsmen of the Hidden Mist, and the man who changed my life for eternity.

I start to drag my feet across the floor, my blood soaking on it. I'm bleeding everywhere, and I can't help it. It must be the cause of rapid heartbeat or the affects of the curse mark. My mouth is sore; my vocal chords are sore from the screams and pleads. Everything is injured, including my heart.

I enter though the boulder passage. I see so many unfamiliar faces, and each one has a different reaction. Hate, despair, surprise, and suspicion… so many negative thoughts for only the most defeated looking person in the world. Tiny conversations are heard from my working ears, for instance, the first I hear are from a teenage boy no younger than me with long blonde hair half pulled into a ponytail, a machine enclosed into his right eye and a dusk blue left eye that looks sharply at me. His acquaintance, however, was hunched and disguised his mouth with a mask. I could tell that he was smiling in greed because his cheekbones rose. I heard with keen ears as I painfully walked past both of them.

"Hmm, a new member. Looks like we have company, Master Sasori," says the blonde, half observing me, half trying to look away. As of my mind, that member looked interested and nervous. Maybe I have a dying chance to relate to someone in my age group.

The hollow old man stumbled, and then looked up at me, meeting my eyes, then turning away, looking up at his partner. "Indeed we do. Look, she's too fragile. She'll be broken like a twig in one second."

As he said those exact words, I narrowed my eyes. This idiot had no idea what kind of insane torture I had went though these past days. Let him make fun of me, but I was stronger.

The blonde peered at me through him machine, scoping in on my face, particularly my head band, which I wore proudly, a soldier of battle only captured by the other side. I tried to stand up straight, but I felt the stabbing pain in my posture and back, almost collapsing on the floor in front of me. In response, the teen partially smiled, but still focused on my headband. "She's from the Leaf Village. Don't we have one other member from that area, hmm?"

The elderly man named Sasori answered in clear, but whispered response, as though partially scared that someone in particular would hear him. "As in Itachi, then yes. They both belong to the same village."

Itachi Uchiha. The mass murderer than caused the Leaf Village to almost collapse because of his responsibility of slaughtering every family member except for the occasion of Sasuke, his younger, more naïve and vengeful brother. He is partner to Kisame, and helped him secure me of resistance with the help of his Sharingan. His longer, dark hair was always pulled back into a messy ponytail, with bangs across his face, and possessed dark gray eyes that could pierce your heart and stab your memories. To everyone he meets, he is manipulative, crafty, and insulting because of his talent and attitude towards his competition. To me, he is the same. He tried to entrance me with his precious Sharingan, but I never gave in. I could resist anything. His attitude and good looks try to weaken me, but I remain strong against him. I still stand the better gen-jutsu artist.

I can still hear the two comrades whispering about me, but a third mysterious member came into play. I call him mysterious for the orange spiraled mask on his face and that he had no Akatsuki robe or ring. That made me confused. I thought only members that were confirmed by the leader were allowed into the main base. I stared at them, but all of them looked away, except for the stranger who wore the mask, dark green scarf, and very dull gray armor.

The blonde teenager started to smile when he met my face. He observed my bloody golden hair, and met my matching, luminous eyes. He became interested at the sight of me. I pulled away in a huff as he chatted with the two others. "Let's see what she has. She may look weak, but I think she could break someone without question. Besides, she's confident… and attractive."

The masked mystery for a member shouted across the room in a childish tone, bursting out, and said: "This is the Mikaze girl? Really?!?"

I narrowed my eyes again. Apparently there was no gentleman here to prove me. Maybe the organization had tortured him into insanity or some other punishment. Maybe he was always goofy, I will probably never know. Kisame pushed his sword onto my back again, gesturing that I move along. I obeyed, sadly not having any strength the try and defeat that monster again. I overheard the blonde again, only his voice was moving a distance away.

"Tobi, shut up. This is a private moment. We all need to whisper, not yell in an immature manner. This girl is going to be part of the organization."

I knew that since Kisame told me a few days ago. I knew that since the man laid eyes on me and my talent. My fate was set with them since day one.

I felt the warm breath of my enemy, his hand rested on my neck, observing any damages to the curse mark. He tightened his grip upon my skin, and I flinched. I turned my head angrily, but he held me in my position. "Enjoy the freedom for now, because you won't be having it for the rest of your life," he whispered, his breath resting on my neck, trying to eerie the mood, trying to come back to when we were alone and the ceremony was preformed. Isolation could only get so far when more than a few people were talking and looking at my physical image.

"Freedom," I repeated aloud, stronger than I expected my voice to stand. "What an irrelevant word. Only the blessed seek it."

He laughed then retorted, letting everyone hear him. "Heh. Then welcome to the damned."

I chose a bad time to act sarcastic to the person that almost killed me in the process of a three day battle. "Good to know. I think I'll love it here."

"Shut up, prisoner," Kisame reacted, pushing me even harder with his hell sword. "Enough with the sarcasm and follow me up to the top."

Then I stopped again for the second time, seeing two men that almost made my soul sink into oblivion. The first person stood there with his polished red and black tri-scythe, his robes not completely closing in on his chest, and on his strong chest dangled a sacred medallion of some strange religion. He had purple/pinkish irises, which almost made me burst out laughing because those colors didn't match his personality at all. How ironic. His grayish, whitish hair was slicked back, and he observed me just like the blonde did, except in the smile, he showed almost canine-like teeth, longer points at the edges of his mouth. He laughed to his companion, looking at me with a bad feeling stirring in my bruised stomach.

"Oy, Kakuzu, look who we have here…"

The other person called Kakuzu looked at me with lifeless eyes, like he had tried to accomplish so many dreams and those all had been crushed. He wore a mask of black and white, and showed his insignia on his headband. He wore the same robes, but his eyes scared me straight to hell. They were black on the whites of the eyes, but the most uncomfortable detail was the irises. He had green eyes, but they were glazed, almost shiny, like smooth pebbles under the sun. He possessed no pupils. My face and body fluids ran cold like my previous memories. Kisame smiled when he saw my reaction.

"Yes, those are who I call the Zombie Twins. They live."

"They live?" I questioned, still holding my strong position.

Kisame leaned in close to me, smiling with his sharp, white, and knife-like teeth. "They live… prying and slaughtering others around them. They survive on other people."

I nodded, my face facing the other direction. I shivered, my bones almost rattling. Those two deserve to be here… they kill to live. I imagined all of the innocent souls those men killed, but not just those men, but everyone here. Why am I here? I never knew the answer.

Kakuzu still stared at me with those cold green eyes. "…the legendary kinochi of the Hidden Leaf. I'm amazed that she survived all of this."

The pink eyed zombie brother smiled even colder and wider, like I was a reward for something he accomplished a long time ago. He spoke to his partner in a satisfied voice. "Finally, god damn it, I can hook up with that golden angel while we have the time to live."

I almost threw up and coughed up blood at the same time, maybe in humiliation. No way, you son of a-

"You're kidding me," Kakuzu argued, directing his partner. "Hidan, you huge pervert, she's only seventeen-"

"-and I'm immortal," he interrupted, objecting to his partner's objection. His pink eyes burned into Kakuzu's lifeless green ones. "So what?!? She's hot! I can't help my thirst for passionate-"

Passionate?!? Oh god, not only is he a mass murderer for life and pleasure, but he wants me with-

"-I don't want to know, okay?" Kakuzu turned away, his eyes directed to me, then Kisame. I could already tell that these 'Zombie Twins' never had gotten along. Kakuzu watched me drag my feet, and then observed my face. He narrowed his eyes when I caught him looking at my bloody injuries. He muttered to himself, but I couldn't catch his words to my ears. I turned and marched to my trial, head held high, trying to get everyone to think I wasn't defeated internally. But I was. Always.

Kisame whispered to me again. "This is the last time for escape. Do you want the tremendous risk of dying?"

"I have no other choice, do I?" I shrugged, though hurt my shoulders. I held onto my right, still very injured from where Kisame cut and scraped me. "By the way, I'll get my revenge for everything that you have cursed me with. You're just very fortunate that I want to impress a crowd today."

"Why don't you kiss my ass instead? You'll be better off."

"How appropriate," I retorted, looking him in his soulless eyes. "Now leave me alone so that I get this ceremony over with."

"Good luck. You'll certainly need it from everyone here."

He gave me a final shove of his sword, and walked away angrily. I noticed his missing hand from where I used Samehada against him in battle. I always thought of that as a victory, but nothing could compare with the negativity of me and my first loss. The other members noticed it too.

"Hey, Kisame, where's your left hand, hmm?" the blonde asked, his sharp eye looking curiously at the armhole, "looks like she beat you badly."

Kisame laughed, mocking me, and smiled. "She's a tough little thing, but I'll live."

"Do you have your hand?" The Zombie twin called Kakuzu stepped up to Kisame and looked too at his missing hand. "And you lost your ring too. I hope you have it, or the leader will have your head."

Kisame laughed again. "Don't worry, I have it. Once I get it later, you can stitch it on again."

What did he mean by that? Stitch it back on? I think I'm acting delirious because of the overdose of the curse mark poison. I stumbled up to the podium, since I had no more chakra left to jump, and I almost collapsed in front of the organization for the second time. I heard some muffled snickers, but I managed to ignore them for the time being. Looks like joining the organization will be fun.

A man approached the podium, appearing to be drifting across the room. All members had their eyes onto him, and I stared strangely at him. With all of the attention drawn to him like a magnetic force and the silence irregularly lingering in the main base, I could already tell that this was the leader of the Akatsuki, the organization of S-rank criminals. He was the one who created this gang of villains. He had orange, spiky hair that stuck out, similar to my brother's. His face was full of black piercings, in every inch of his body which I didn't find attractive at all. The most disturbing were his eyes. I've found a pattern in every person, and it was in their eyes. He was the most disturbing, and I will never doubt it.

His eyes… I will have nightmares forever. It was even more appalling than the gross piercings. His eyes were purple, even in the whites, with thin black rings all around. I've only heard rumors and legends that would scare even the rulers of nations. The Rinnegan. A child's story, come to life. He spoke in a serious, booming voice above all others, and I even couldn't resist his powerful tone.

"Dear Akatsuki Members, we have been able to gather a new person from our rankings. First of all, I would like to especially thank Kisame and Itachi for escorting her here today."

I thought to myself, almost laughing in a non-meaningful way. _Escorting .Ha. What asshole would think that I was escorted here? I'm covered in blood all over, and I'm almost dead. There's no sudden chance that someone would think I was carried here by Shark Man and Uchiha."_

I could tell that Kisame liked to soak in attention from the other members. He stood and announced to all: "What can I tell you all? She's a big handful, but we got a hold of her." He looked at me menacingly, smiling in continuous victory. I mouthed, not catching myself: _I cut off your hand and almost killed you. I wouldn't be bragging._

Kisame's reaction turned his smile into a sneer. He probably thought that he should have killed me instead of biting me and handing me over to Akatsuki. Come to think of it, I would have less pain and humiliation, but I would always have my missions first.

Itachi Uchiha, being Kisame's partner, stood up slowly. All eyes were glued onto him. He spoke in a somber tone, being usually bored.

"I'm in agreement with my partner. This girl is something different than what I usually see, and she was almost victorious. Luck overcame us and we finally caught hold of her." I looked at Itachi, a vile look across my face, wishing of his first defeat. He was too much like his brother. He simply stood with an insultingly bored expression and pretended I didn't exist. Man, he was good.

"Introduce yourself, please."

The Leader grew conscious of the fact that I wanted to get the ceremony over with, so I came out of zonings and spoke with a strong, but choking voice that would contrast to a singing dove. I always had to mess things up at the wrong time.

"Thank you, Leader," I bowed, not trying to get fresh blood on the floor in front of him. "My full name is Tetane Mikaze and I am most welcome here."

I hated kissing up. Being a schmoozer to someone I didn't appreciate or respect was what a loathed, especially to this exact person. I hid my furious expression with a simple smile that could catch any person I met off guard. Bowing only made my headache feel like it was splitting across the edge of my skull. I absolutely hated this feeling, and all I have to do to get out of here.

It was funny, actually. As I was talking about myself to the other members, I overheard a conversation between Kisame and the blonde teenager I had noticed talking about me. I listened consciously as I talked unconsciously, becoming suspicious of both of the murderous traitors in the second row.

Kisame muttered to himself. "Lies…"

The blonde took action and decided interrupt Kisame's train of thought. "Excuse me, hmm?"

"She never wanted to be here," Kisame explained, looking up at me, and once I met his eyes, I pulled back, the unconscious part of my mind focusing onto the presentation, and the conscious part attentive on him. He continued, clutching his fist and barring his teeth. "I was the one who kidnapped her, and she's just trying to be a schmoozer to everyone."

The blonde boy nodded, and then looked directly at me, not paying attention to anything about my history. He started to give me an interested look again, which really bugged me. "God, hmm. I hope she fights better than she looks. You beat her up really badly. Now that's not a way a gentleman acts to a lady."

Kisame laughed, almost coughing up blood. Others turned, but after he apologized, some paid attention to my unconscious speech given. "A lady. Heh. That's pretty funny, Deidara."

The blonde flipped his hair, intending to. "Well, I hope you don't have bets, because I want to date her."

I almost stuttered in my unconscious speech. _He wants to date me?!?_ I tried to think of more pleasant things, but I could sense that he was deadly serious. What the hell did I do to deserve of his attention?

Kisame apparently agreed with me. "Deidara, has your mind been turned into your molding clay? You must be crazy!"

Deidara scoffed, simply insulted. He flipped his hair again. "Look at her, Kisame. She's drop dead gorgeous. Wait until I see her without her injuries, hmm. Surely you must be a little attracted to her."

I blushed as he blushed. Who in this place would take it upon themselves to love me? Who was this person?

"That's… irrelevant," Kisame stuttered, catching his breath. "Tetane is my student, and I-"

Deidara interrupted, happily interested. "Well, hmm, if you don't want her, then I call first shots."

"Good luck with that attempt. Hidan is absolutely obsessed with her."

Did I hear that right?!? I stared furiously at the Zombie brother called Hidan. He never cared about my history or past, neither my strengths nor weaknesses. He… wanted me. To secretly tell this Deidara that I wasn't interested in Hidan, I barred my teeth and spoke directly to him, in a commanding voice. Kisame caught sight of me while Deidara was fantasizing about the 'likeliness' of us as a couple. I would tell him that I want his imperfect visions about us to disappear and to take a one stop to hell, but my unconsciousness was too focused on the speech.

"Damn, hmm. Well, if events turn in my direction of luck, she won't like the Grim Reaper…"

Kisame noticed my threatening glare at Hidan. "…trust me on this one, she hates his guts…"

"…then by the end of the full moon tonight, I'll have your minion by the waist, both of us walking together, holding hands, making out-"

I nearly puked.

Kisame almost felt the same way I did, turning his head towards me in disgust to Deidara's hopeful dreams. He interrupted in a snarl. "-have fun fantasizing while I listen. I need to find out how this ceremony is going to lead."

I turned my head the other way to the Leader, indicating that I was done, and both my consciousness came together. All eyes were turned on me. I hope no one was going to ask any mind-blowing questions, or any questions about what I have secret. If in that case, I'll lie, trying to be a schmoozer again. I sighed to myself silently; I absolutely despised this.

"Tetane, please tell the organization more about yourself," the Leader said, almost smiling, almost frowning. He commanded me, but I was never overcome by his power. He probably thought he was an all time god or something. I sighed again, but shook the dreadful feeling off.

"I am commonly known as the gen-jutsu artist of the Hidden Leaf," I spoke, referring angrily to Itachi, my eyes burning. Again, he looked at me dully, like he wanted to get this whole ceremony over with. Don't I agree…?

Deidara spoke for the first time, saying angrily to me: "Damn to hell! Not another one, hmm!"

"What's the matter, Deidara?" Kisame mocked, shoving Deidara, "Still dramatizing about your defeat with Itachi a few months ago?"

I caught interest. Was I not the only one who was forced into the organization? Could there be the smallest chance to make my rounds for an alliance? Deidara lost it, acting immature for his age.

"It was a bet, and you guys wouldn't let me escape! God, hmm!" he shouted to Kisame and all. The blonde teenager turned the other way, not knowing about the whispering and murmuring from other Akatsuki members.

_So I'm not the only captive here… hmm, interesting, quite fortunate for me,_ I thought, looking directly at the frustrated Deidara, who now held a grudge with me because of my gen-jutsu skills. I overheard him talking to himself from all of the muttering.

"Those eyes… I hate them so much… so much abhor, hmm…"

I caught more interest. This Deidara criminal has had it in for Itachi. What did that unemotional mass murderer do to bring this independent teen to defeat? I'll only know if I ask him. But first, I had to know him. As if he knows me.

Kisame's patience was waning. "Well, since we have plenty of extra time, can we get to the ceremony?"

"Patience, Kisame," the Leader beckoned, staring right at him. "We will get to that." He turned to me in interest. "Tetane, will you tell us about your abilities?"

"Gladly," I mused, waiting for conversations to stop. "I am the oldest sibling of the current generation of the Mikaze Clan, so I possess one of the four chakra eyes in the world. This organization only has one in hands until I join. The Sharingan is a very powerful eye, with many more abilities, but it isn't as affective as mine." I locked in on Itachi, and for the once in a blue moon, he was caught. I narrowed my eyes again, and Itachi narrowed his, copying me. He spoke, clearing his voice.

"That is where I stand to disagree. I beat out your resistance when we captured you a few short days ago. You woke up here an hour ago."

"As of always, Itachi, you try to stand corrected, but you fail to see what lay outside of the main picture," I mused, trying to sound convincing. "I only stayed in your little gen-jutsu for a short time, probably an hour or so, until I escaped with my heart only beating once a minute. I pretended to stay in that state only to help recover, because I knew I was defeated by you. So that is where I stand for the evidence." I stood high with my cut arms folded across my chest in victory. Itachi looked to the side, where someone was laughing hysterically in the second row.

"Listen to that, dear Itachi," Deidara ridiculed, or made an attempt, "This seventeen year old girl can overcome your trances. I guess your eye has gotten weaker with age."

I backed away, and the Leader noticed. Both of us realized that if someone pisses off Itachi, there would be hell to pay. But in the opposite mood, Itachi became coldly serious and narrowed his crow-gray eyes to the recovering Deidara, who was wheezing from an overdose of laughter. Kisame knew where this was going, so he smiled evilly, his lips curled and sharp teeth showed. I almost knew Itachi and his attitude too well, so as Kisame did, I gave my sarcastic and villainous sneer.

"To stand tall, Deidara," retorted Itachi, his voice calm like the clear sea, "I recall beating you with the power of my eye a few months ago. You should not be talking. Besides, this kinochi has had years of training resisting any type of mental force."

I stepped into play when I needed to. "He's right," I agreed truthfully. "I've been practicing with… someone… since I was about five. It was truly aggravating."

I heard the old hunched man called Sasori snickering not far from where I stood. He mentioned the name that Satan could use in his presence: "Orochimaru."

My bruised stomach sank in so many torturous memories of that man. The man who raised me since I was a small and vulnerable infant, to where everything he did to me was experimental. He used me for his pleasures and achievements. I never meant to kill all of those people.

I opened my eyes to a new daylight. All eyes were drawn on Itachi as he continued with his argument.

"I am not done finishing my comment. I also agree with her. I know for a fact that her eye is more powerful than mine. I may have more abilities, but she can manipulate someone quicker, easier, and using less chakra. If I had possession of that eye, it would be a blessing. If you all understand, that would be a once in a lifetime opportunity."

I wanted to address the real name of my eye. "And-"

"-and that eye is called the Raikugan."

Kisame looked me right in the eyes and sneered. He touched Samehada, threatening me, and drew back. All noticed this action and I surprisingly shrank despite myself. Pain noticed this from the Rinnegan, and spoke with a powerful overcoming.

"Yes, the Raikugan. Known for every gen-jutsu there is, from blocking other gen-jutsu to mental control for eternity. Very powerful… and very dangerous."

I spoke quietly, trying to address the unit of criminals.

"The Rinnegan… is something I have become a burden to. Never had anyone suffered as much with this eye as me. I am the only human being on this earth that possesses this…" I swallowed. "…gift. There were so many innocent deaths from the treasure bestowed upon me. Slaughterers try to kill me every day, at least, for their chance of human takeover. Many have tried, none have succeeded. There is a long and tragic story about this eye scattered in the history, or as just a scary story told to young children for amusement. No one knows… anything about what may happen to them. This eye is also rare, for everyone in my current generation is either dead, rotting without a chance or has never possessed it by their hereditary genes. I stand to my conclusion that you do not take me lightly. I can kill you, and you won't even realize that you were killed… or that you were killing yourself."

Many bodies in the audience never moved. I smiled evilly accidentally, proud to scare the hell out of some S-Rank criminals. Deidara stared at me, twitching his sharp blue eye. Kisame smiled similarly as I did, knowing of my history and some deaths that occurred when he was there. Itachi narrowed his eyes. Pain stood in a state of his own enlightenment. It became deadly silent for several seconds, and then someone in the crowd muttered to me lightly, scratching his hair.

Sasori broke the silence, mumbling. "Hmm… Orochimaru told me about that eye."

My heart dropped. That man mentioned the name of the devil. I cringed angrily and clenched my fists so tightly that my knuckles ran white with lack of running blood. His face haunted my nightmares, and all was in peril for me when we came in battle after battle. I never succeeded, nor faced surrendering, but he was as much of a threat to me now as Kisame was. I will kill him, but not now. I have to wait for other vengeances, such as what I'm facing now. Above all, I was surprised that this old, hunched, hollow man knew him. Well, duh, Orochimaru was part of the organization ten years ago, but that was all in distant memory. Wait until he sees me… before I murder him.

I refocused on the main picture, and I settled into an even temper against Sasori.

"Don't speak that name in my presence," I threatened, facing towards the elder Akatsuki member in battle stance. "He is waste to the very society of the world."

"No way! You hate him too, hmm! Thank the world!"

Deidara jumped and smiled. I've never seen a true smile on him, really, but his teeth glittered. I never really noticed, but his teeth were luminous, along with his dusk blue eye… _Damn, Tetane. Snap out of it. He's not my type, anyways. Come on, you can resist the Mangekyo Sharingan, but not an irrelevant teenage criminal?!? _

I refocused again, the Leader staring at me, arms crossed. I stood straight, trying to be serious.

"Yes… now, any other questions?" I asked, almost muttering to myself.

"Are you the child of the fourth Hokage?"

This was the strangest person I have ever investigated in my lifetime, even worse looking than any of Orochimaru's failed experiments I've seen in my horror. This… thing was shaped as a Venus flytrap, green pincers closing in on the half-white, half-black head sticking out from the matching, algae green hair. He wore an oversize Akatsuki robe, and his yellow, glowing eyes looked upon me. He appeared cold and felt cold. He must have killed plenty of people. I responded after several seconds, never realizing my own shocked face. I stuttered, saying loud and clear my response to his simple question.

"…yes. Yes I am."

"What?!? Are you serious?" Kisame yelled, and then choked, coughing up blood on his cloak, looking like it made a new form of a red cloud. His face settled into a shocked stare, then snarled, baring teeth, grimacing at me, directly looking at me, no matter whether I activated my Raikugan or not. This face was almost the last thing I saw before I died, then revived after the poison rush stopped immediately.

I gave an Itachi face. "Sempai, you never asked me, nor did it come to mind as relevant at the time."

He frowned, grasping the handle of Samehada too tightly. "I'm not thrilled with this. Meet with me after."

I couldn't refuse. Sadly. "Yes, Sempai," I accepted, bowing, causing the splitting migraine to break my head in two. This was the one thing I hated. I need to get out.

"Thank you, Tetane," the Leader purred sarcastically, enjoying my unforgiveable shock from Zetsu and Kisame. "Anything else to do with your marvelous eye?"

I heard sniffles and little sneers of laughter in the background, making me shake my head. I considered second acts. "In fact, I do… with everything. See, the only word to describe the famous Raikugan is control. Control. Heh. It makes me more powerful, that word, because I can have someone other than me do the actual work, or have the opponent in a disadvantage."

Pain mused. "Go on… I want to hear this."

I laughed despite myself. "Well, I have many levels of controls, each one unique. For instance…" I paused for the attempt in drama, "… I can manipulate a person's senses. The first time I've ever came to realize that was when I was fighting my last battle."

Kisame eyed me intensely. I smiled sarcastically. "And when that happened, the eyes became dull, a glassy stare, and nothing was clear. I made my opponent blind, not knowing the surroundings around him. This jutsu I established on my own. It worked for a period of half of a day, or a little less than twelve hours."

The Leader leaned in, obviously interested. I remained smiling for the longest time tonight. "I can also take away the other six senses, including the flow of chakra. I can stop the flow of chakra in one's body… but for me to realize this was too late in that fight." I stopped talking, looking at Kisame in fury. I will never stop until I kill him. "The next manipulation is with the human body itself. It is the opposite of what I like to do, instead of the controlling of the mentality; I can let the soul witness me controlling the body. It is a more effective way of torture, for instance, I have done this jutsu, and my enemy witnessed himself burning, they couldn't stop looking at his melting flesh, slowly drooping off of the bones. The blood dissolved in the flames and smoke, and I saw only a set of bones and burned pieces left from him. That was the most grueling death I've done with that, and it lasts until I want it to last."

Silence filled the room. The masked Akatsuki character named Tobi screamed into open air, breaking the lingering shadows of isolation and discomfort.

"You're… not kidding?!? You watched someone die by burning… and you made them watch themselves die by flame?!? You really belong to Akatsuki!"

"It was someone I really didn't respect," I retorted to Tobi, narrowing my eyes. "Its life and people have to learn to realize that some deaths have to be delivered a little earlier and a little more painful. It depends what type of person you are."

Tobi, even though he wore a mask, I could tell he was surprised. I smiled even wider.

"Next is a simple gen-jutsu of transportation. When I look at someone's eyes," I blinked, turning to Itachi, my Raikugan activated, and when he freely expected me to stare, the next thing he remembered was me behind him, and I held his hands behind his back, grasping them. I whispered in his ear. "It feels like a rush of wind has taken over your body. You'll remember only the person behind you, but I can expand when you remember such things. If I run a knife through your neck… you'll still be under my gen-jutsu."

Some members held their tongues, and Itachi focused on me. He stared at me, and smiled half-heartedly. "You're quick, but not at my speed. Try again." His eyes were in the shape of the Mangekyo Sharingan.

I blurred out and cursed with anger and confusion. I forgot where I was until I heard laughter in the audience. I clutched onto my head, pounding with my heartbeat and pulse. I stood in the same spot where I preformed the jutsu, wondering if this was a dream. Itachi held a crooked smile while his special Sharingan faded into his thunder-gray eyes. I was played with. He encountered my own jutsu.

Itachi spoke out, becoming bored again. "It sometimes gets complicated, especially with my disability, but it will work on someone who is caught off guard."

I blushed, and the others laughed. I scowled, gripping my head again, only dried blood sticking onto my hand afterwards. My golden hair was in tangles, and I could only be conquered by fear at a time like this. I despised Itachi because of his attitude and similarities to Sasuke, but he was to be respected. I stood, and the Leader's lips curved up. "Go on…" he interrupted; loving every minute of what he could take in from my teachings.

I continued, taking a deep breath from underachievement. "Then, I can perform any illusion come to mind. It compares to the Sharingan, but I could never take anyone anywhere, like in Itachi's nightmare realm. I envy that very much."

I tried to apologize to him with that point, but he turned away, the same, unemotional look hanging on his face. I grimaced, disappointed.

I smiled again, knowing that the last jutsu was my favorite of all. "This last level of gen-jutsu is personally, more to my favor. I can control the mentality of any person, and it only takes a millisecond to activate and perform. I've practiced it about on average, five times a day, just for pleasure and self-comfort. Leader, I would love a volunteer from your organization, if that's all I ask of you."

The Leader blinked, but remained undefeated in stance. "Hmm, yes, I fully agree with you. May I ask who will perform this task?"

Kisame spoke, smiling widely, teeth sharp as knives. "My good friend Deidara will do the favor!"

I turned to the direction of the blonde teenager, who was in a still stage of open shock. He cursed under his breath, particularly at Kisame, who grinned. Most of the members laughed at what was about to happen, except for the acceptation of Zetsu and Itachi. Deidara turned to Kisame in desperation.

"You know I hate gen-jutsu, you idiot!" he shouted in a hushed voice, pleading for ultimate mercy, "Besides, I'll probably look like a fool up there, hmm… I front of you know who."

I snickered in enjoyment of entertainment. _This will be interesting. Thank you, Kisame._ I thought, having found amusement and a helpless victim. This will certainly be fun.

My ears indicated whispering to Deidara from Kisame, and I listened carefully, being the eavesdropper I always will be.

"This will be to your advantage, my friend," Kisame muttered dramatically, being sarcastic and humorously cruel. "She'll fall in love with you if you volunteer for the willing of yourself. You make a great puppet, anyways, Deidara." He laughed, but remained serious about the matter. Deidara hesitated, and then corresponded, surrendering to him in a few moments' time.

"I hate you, man…" Deidara spoke, flipping his hair, sighing, "…but you help me at the same time. I'll do it for the love of your slave."

Kisame's lips twisted into a disoriented grin. "Go up there and win her heart…and be a temporary distraction for her…"

This bothered me. Kisame wanted me to wipe away the discomforts of the Akatsuki organization and become used to the everyday life with the help of the fearful Deidara. Good luck with that plan, Sempai, but revenge and fury are no more but building blocks to the destruction of this damned group. Distractions… will not distract me.

Deidara stepped onto the platform, and stood next to the podium with the Leader in an uncomfortable position. I overheard the Zombie Twins cracking up in the corner. I bit my lip in frustration.

"Ignore those immature idiots," I whispered closely to Deidara, trying to earn him sympathy. "I will never learn of why they gained the privilege of immortality."

Deidara's cheekbones rose from where I was standing. He twisted his head, and smiled awkwardly. I could obviously tell this guy was deadly nervous, for me and my gen-jutsu. I did in fact hold sympathy for the blonde teenager, for he must be fresh meat for the organization, maybe he only arrived here a month or more a time ago. I smiled similarly, but half-heartedly. I kept my internal strength and approached in a calm matter to Deidara.

"So I have someone to work on," I commented, cleaning some of the blood off of my arm. I decided to play dumb, to try to get to know him better on purpose. "What's your name, again?"

Deidara fixed his ponytail, frowning in the process. "I'm Deidara." He paused and added, "Well, I can see you're in a hard situation… held here hostage by Shark Man, here, hmm. I just want to tell you that I was in the same position, so I know what you're going through, well, except for the exception of blood, hmm. Well, this is hard to say without going through a heart attack or something like that, but you're… more beautiful in moonlight."

My pulse decreased in blood flow to my brain. I didn't know how to react to that, I mean, nothing like this situation has happened to me before. I stood, staring like a complete moron and responded, brushing my hair out of the snarls with the leftover strength in my hands. "What…? Umm… that's sweet, thanks…"

The interested smile suddenly grew back onto his young face, knowing that he was getting somewhere. "So I'll be under you, right?" He leaned onto the podium, much more relaxed. Looks like he was settling for a response worth taking from me. I stopped running through my mop of hair and grew more concerned about performing this simple jutsu.

"Yes, that's correct. You won't remember anything," I responded quickly, nodding slightly. Deidara swore under his breath again, but this time, he added sarcasm to the situation to make this even more uncomfortable.

"Great," he muttered to me in depression of my jutsu, "this makes my day right here, hmm."

I sighed under my breath, closing my eyes. How could I concentrate on any of my internal peace with all of this action going on? This day had been the most frightening, hell-raising in all of history. With Kisame transferring the curse mark, and me dying, to me escaping with my life on the string, and then Itachi putting me under his jutsu before I could react, this proved to be my day of defeat. _Just forget everything, _I thought bravely, risking my internal fight with struggle, _Think about Konaha. All of your loved ones, waiting for you with open arms and smiles. Think about that, and you'll succeed._

My conscious was right. Just forget everything unfortunate and all will be at peace once again.

I faced Deidara to the north and Deidara faced me to the south, in an unnecessary battle stance. I sighed, indicating that it was not required for anything. He blushed, red from further embarrassment. I bowed respectfully to the diehard conqueror for my affections, and addressed the crowd, themselves waiting impatiently. I nodded to Deidara. He nodded back, a little shy from every one of his peers.

"I will now have Deidara under my control," I instructed manually, no emotion stirring in my stomach. "He'll be mine to use in whatever way I can use him."

Deidara's cheeks turned a slight shade of green, feeling very uncomfortable. "I feel sick… I think I'm going to back-"

I almost grabbed him from the chokehold, pulling him. His face reacted differently, for he didn't resist. He cursed again, and looked up at me, depressed and extremely tired from lack of sleep and concentration. I played with him, for most of his excuse was not realistic.

"Oh no. If you came here to win my affections, then you have to stay with me. Besides, a cutie like you doesn't want to be wasted on an opportunity to be taken over by the famous Raikugan. You'll love it."

I tugged on his neck collar a little harder, pulling him back. I went to his backside, grinning with pleasure. He felt weaker. I laughed privately, but I never intended to. Deidara's sharp blue eye widened a little bit.

"You're crazy," he commented, a bead of sweat trickling down his youthful face.

I responded with an even wider, eviler smile than before. "Crazy, maybe, but not stupid."

I tugged once more on his collar, and then pushed him, forcing him to turn my way. He hesitated, but he gathered himself, finally coming to realize there was no way out from my proposition. He faced me in the opposite direction, and I turned to him. I grinned, giving him the eye.

"This will only make events more fortunate for you, Deidara, and nothing will hurt or cause pain physically or emotionally. Don't be a baby, and you'll make this to your advantage… and just to boost up your self-esteem, and for a replied compliment from what you said about my image… I think you're sort of hot."

Of course I thought he was hot, but I never cared for him in heart. It's an advantage called trickery and vulnerability. If I could make him weak, I can take him down in a heartbeat, getting the information I need and to get out without a real damaging fight. That's my game plan for now, until I really make my revenge official in my mind.

Deidara stared at me, and I smiled, but not sarcastically like commonly. I smiled sweetly, and a trickle of sweat ran through his brow, then a piece of his golden hair passed it on. He then smiled back, but he was blushing, a streak of pink appearing on his cheeks. He felt embarrassed and shocked at the same time, from the position he was standing in and the red shown on his face. I also bet he was celebrating in his mind, because I felt his heartbeat from my sensing of blood and charka. It beat more than mine did regularly, and mine beat three times as fast as of an average population. Deidara turned away from the crowd, very humiliated. I almost burst out laughing.

"Aw man, blushing is not one of my strengths, hmm," Deidara muttered to himself, partly meant for me. That did it for holding in my laughter. I cracked up for the first time tonight, and the gang of villains followed. Tobi, being servant to Deidara, commented in the childish voice.

"Sempai's blushing! Look at that! Two lovebirds!"

I frowned and appeared serious before the crowd. _Two lovebirds?!?_ Wow, I guess in any group or organization, there always needed to be a wiseass. I saw Kisame, and he laughed until he coughed out more blood. Deidara felt about three times angrier than I did.

"I'm going to kill that little piece of-"

"Just ignore them," I encouraged, "as I always indicate, there always is a wiseass in a posse. Don't worry about it, for I will show them how strong and talented you are."

Deidara tried not to turn red in the face again, positioning himself. "Thanks," he spoke in gratitude, "you must have a connection with me, you know, being hostage to a group of assholes, hmm… well, not all of them are assholes, because you'll be joining."

I stepped back, unemotional in appearance. "I appreciate it, my comrade. Now, it's show time. Are you prepared for my jutsu?"

I still got a cold response about my gen-jutsu arrival to him. "As I said before, hmm, let's get this over with."

I made my center calm with internal peace at hand. I assembled the rest of my necessary chakra and breathed deep into the wet, cave air. Deidara looked at my eyes directly, showing absolutely no hesitant reactions, finally ready for me. I released the Raikugan immediately, and millisecond, it grabbed him mentally. His eyes glazed over, and he became unemotional. His head tilted forwards, and the neck dangled. He stood in a stuttered position, and I smiled, this becoming too easy for me.

Silence hung in the base, having everyone in awe, except for the occasion of Kisame and Itachi, both seeing before and witnessed the true power of my control. Kisame clutched his fist angrily, and Itachi strikingly grinned. I drew back, shockingly surprised about the Uchiha mass murderer smiling for the once in a lifetime. I became focused on the controlled Deidara again, and the crowd, including Pain, stood at a standstill. Sasori smiled as Itachi did, and the Zombie brothers hesitated for once. Tobi screamed, "Sempai!", but Deidara didn't respond unless I told him to. Kisame and Itachi exchanged inside looks, and Pain definitely was in his own enlightenment, glaring intensely at my eye, like it was a dream coming true for only himself. I laughed, breaking the moment long quiet.

"Secured," I stated, happy in myself.

Pain stared straight at me, almost too into this. "Tell me Tetane…" he questioned, "…what can he do now? Any interesting states that you can accomplish with your mind slave?"

Mind slave. I liked that word, the feeling of it on my tongue. I always used the word 'victim', but nothing was more compatible than what Pain used. Mind slave. Heh, it works perfectly. I'll use it often.

"Well," I started, still bubbly from all of the interest and attention from the Leader himself, "with a person like Deidara, he activates from when I command to him directly. I use his name, and he's at my feet. But for more advanced personnel, I don't have to speak at all. The command is built with the mental control. I also can command a mind slave to do incredible feats that will become successful with them, and normally not in their normal, uncontrolled state. For instance…" I peered behind me, looking at a pile of useless boulders at the corner. "Deidara, race to those boulders and bring one to me."

Deidara lifted his head, a blank expression on his face as ghostly as Pain's. His dull eyes glazed at the boulders ahead, and ran, faster than life. He was a bullet, and a second later, he reached the boulders that were a mile away. Pain's eyes widened.

"Unbelievable."

I interrupted, pointing to Deidara. "There's more incredibility. Look ahead."

The crowd and Pain followed my finger. Deidara, with no hesitation, lifted a randomly selected boulder with his own bare hands, only feeling like a piece of Styrofoam in contact. He had no trouble lifting the boulder while running at a solid sprint, and brought the huge rock at my feet, him bowing down towards me afterwards. I smiled.

"I repeat what I had remarked before…" the Leader commented, breathless. "…unbelievable."

"The strength of Deidara and the ability to run faster than any human in sprints can identify that this is a powerful eye that only uses up an ounce of chakra for one look. If I had my way, he could be even stronger than Kisame."

Kisame stared ahead. He never saw this from my eye, how basic it was, because he was unavailable to control in the last battle. Stupid sword, blocking my chakra. He never saw that limitations didn't matter for my control. Itachi saw this, unlike my captor. He kept grinning. I felt almost too uncomfortable.

Kisame spoke for what felt like an eternity. "Meet with me after…"

I nodded after a short while. "Fine. I just want this over with."

"Listen, smartass, if you have your mouth running, I'll recommend a nice, slow death for you."

"They need me here alive. I do not consider that a major threat when it is not relevant for the matter. Don't cry about it. I'm the one who can weep when necessary to."

That took Kisame to his limits. He ran, pegging me onto the cave wall, uncontrolled. He refused to look into my eyes so I spoke in rhythm, not in the happy mood I was.

"You damned me," I remarked quietly, yet powerful in words. "I can call upon everyone and tell them of my torture the past four days with you. You'll never understand the limits of my happiness and the infinity of my pain. This is extremely challenging for me, and it must take a burden on you as well. I am bleeding as we speak, and you too, are in deep desperation. My words are as follows: to leave me the hell alone and to stay off my back. You have gotten what you wanted most… me as your little slave and for the use of the Akatsuki. I had lost, thanks to you. I'll never see the ones I love again. All that I've been through have taken me and changed my whole. Just… just give me time, like I gave you time. Now let me go or there will be hell to pay."

Kisame glared at the controlled Deidara, then me. He stood silent, grasping his sword with his only hand, finally letting go of my neck. My red Raikugan eyes faded to their normal golden and Kisame walked slowly away from the podium, silence still visible and the only sound a pin drop, except when he spoke to me in my same tone.

"You will always have no idea… what hell is. I can't always promise you life, because one day I might go out of control and try and kill you… and I will succeed… someday, when I don't need you."

I relaxed painfully, resting my hand on my bruised neck, containing the purple gashes of the fingers of my captor earlier, and the bitten marks from him also. I choked, coughing out more blood. Thank god I won't die from loss of blood.

I decided I've proved my further point, so I released Deidara from mental slavery. His eyes were disoriented, but refined themselves after a point in time. He gripped his head to stop from spinning, and faced the crowd in confusion. His eye caught hold of the boulder, and gaped.

"You made me carry this thing, didn't you, Tetane?"

I laughed after hard humor. "Yes. You were impressive too. You didn't show much resistance. I was happy about that."

Hidan, the pink eyed Zombie brother, joined into our conversation. "You also caused a riot… got Jaws here real mad. Angel Shark Bait got pinned against the wall, and kicked his ass with words-"

"-words that you probably didn't understand," I interrupted, annoyed, "Stop interrupting, or I'll personally cause you pain without the usage of the Raikugan."

Pain wanted this to end. "Now it's time for the ceremony."

I overheard whisperings from Kisame to his partner, Itachi. "Thank god. The time has finally come. She will be mine permanently, and she can't do anything about it. I'll finally be pulling the strings, and I can be the one responsible for the cause of the world to recreate. Most importantly, I can get my revenge across the nations."

Itachi nodded, having eyes on me. "I'll join next to you, partner."

I prepared myself by combing through my tangled hair again. That attempt at looking good failed horribly. I straightened my posture and breathed deep the cave air. All things stood at a standstill and Pain came up to me, ghostly as ever, facing me with those Purple nightmare eyes. I couldn't even resist walking towards him. The next thing I knew, I had stood on the podium. I tried my best to be confident, but I looked afraid, or enraged in being here, defeated by Kisame, and forced to be here, to be in the organization. A slave's servitude. I could imagine this is a cruel joke, or a very upsetting nightmare, or even a gen-jutsu into Itachi's Nightmare realm. Sadly, this was all real. Pain faced me.

"Tetane Mikaze, the gen-jutsu artist of the Hidden Leaf," he stated, becoming as scary in appearance as ever, "do you accept living the temporary life of a damned until we capture all nine tailed beasts to restart the world, as me as the next god?"

I almost swallowed and choked on my own saliva. "Yes."

"Are you also willing to sacrifice your life this organization, trying to capture all nine tailed beasts?"

This was a problem saying a simple yes to. One of the tailed beasts of monster chakra was my brother, Naruto Uzumaki. We had been separated for thirteen years, and joined and knew when we met at the Chunin exams three long years ago. He was special to me and my beating heart, and I promised him that I would not rest until he became Hokage for his village. Joining Akatsuki and capturing him will shatter his chances. I stuttered, very afraid, the cold cave air rushing through my lungs. Itachi spoke out the words I didn't want any of the S-Rank criminals hearing.

"This might seem relevant at the time, so I must share that the nine tailed beast shares the body of her brother, Naruto Uzumaki."

I grasped my neck in desperation to their surprise knowledge about my brother. The entire unit of criminals was in shock and whispered to one another what they were to do if I said no. I never planned to say no, but I never intended on resisting. Kisame knew about this, to point the obvious, and became a little furious.

"Damn it. She's won't accept now. I guess force is the only option. Tetane! Come to me."

Well, since I had no further choice but to obey my master, I came to him, frowning and cringing. Kisame shook my shoulders and I pulled away, having a secure explanation.

"I'm not agreeing to that oath. He talks about my brother… and if I get the chance to see him, I am under yours and the Akatsuki's orders to fight him if I join. I took a vow."

Kisame stiffened, and then grabbed my arm, squeezing the life out of it. He was frustrated, not at all in a good mood because of me and the unfortunate task of trying to capture me. I stiffened as well, and all eyes rested on us, the quarreling twosome.

"Listen, slave, I command you to agree with that oath. I am your master, now."

Those words crushed my pride. My freedom. My heart. Crushed into oblivion.

My temper went to 808, my adrenaline rushing to my newly broken heart. I punched Kisame's jaw, making him stumble to the ground. I grinned evilly, and Kisame sat, shocked, rubbing his mouth. Then the same facial expression I made was copied back by Kisame. That indicated trouble for me. My hips were grabbed tightly, feeling like stinging fire. I was flown back, crashing into the wall, the bruises and wounds newly bleeding internally and externally. I watched in horror as the Zombie Twin called Kakuzu worked so fast as to pull me from attacking straight on. My senses didn't matter anymore to me, and my body went into flames, me gathering all of my charka and letting it out in one burst. The strings from Kakuzu evaporated, and let out a battle cry, my heartbeat going at an irregular pace. I attacked Kakuzu on range, and he dodged like a bullet, trying for another string to pull me against the wall. The others aided to his help and I had trouble, knowing I was taking on ten other S-rank criminals. Was I smart to take them all on? Hell, no, but I had a reason.

My main target above all was Kisame. My punch had affected him, for he was barely standing. He grabbed his sword and swung in midair when I was closer in range to him. I dodged it, but all hell broke loose against me. I was hit with something, but I was punched right against the wall. I spat out new blood and screamed in new pain. My body never had the strength to start a riot, and my muscles gave out. I couldn't move them, being paralyzed. My neck drooped down, but my consciousness never left me for burden. I breathed heavily, not believing what I had just done.

The unit of villains cheered and laughed in victory which didn't take long. They all were cheering for a specific person, though. He came to me; I could feel his breath on my neck. He checked my pulse, and shrank back, surprised about how fast and rapid my heartbeat could get. Then everything went silent in the crowd, and the man caressed my face with one hand, stroking it softly, like he felt pity for me. He lifted my head up so that I could see his face. My head leveled with my neck accordingly, and the first sign was dark hair. He lifted me up more, almost too much so that my neck would hurt in the process. I cringed, and then stared out into the sunrise, well, I thought it was.

There was Itachi Uchiha, looking down upon me in disappointment.

"Do you intend on resisting anything?" he asked in the calmest voice, though soft, had a powerful intact.

I said nothing until I thought of what really came to my mind.

"I intend to do more than that," I whispered, baring my teeth in fury.

Itachi commented, lifting my head up even more, so I could see his eyes. I looked away, vowing what I did. "You would think I would give up so easily, dear Itachi," I commented, choking on blood, "I always am the resistance. Nothing can control me but me."

Itachi simply nodded. "We shall see."

I had made the worst mistake in my life. I peered at his face, his eyes… his Mangekyo Sharingan eyes. All time stood on end, and my consciousness gave into the darkness. I was unconscious before I hit the floor in despair.


	2. Introductions

Thanks for everyone who started reading! This is chapter two of the Tetane Mikaze tale, and I do not own Naruto or any other characters, but Tetane Mikaze. I hope you enjoy it, and please, if you've read it, like it, or comment on what you think about it. Thanks for everything! -miragechick2

. . .

02

It's been a long time since I slept peacefully.

I breathed for what felt like an eternity, and I felt my chest rising from my folded arms. My legs were straight, and my heart beat calmly, slower than usual. I was warm, caressed in blankets near a fire pit, lit perfectly so that the flames radiated onto my skin. That was a relief against the harsh conditions of the cold winds of the Akatsuki base. I opened my eyes for a new beginning. All around me were candles and different types of scents that reminded me of my bedroom in Konaha. I lifted my body, stretching my arms and yawning lazily. I gasped, shocked. All of my pain was gone, from the curse mark bite to the deeply infected bruises. My skin was the color of new peaches, showing nothing, no scars, and no further wounds. I felt my neck slowly and there was the bite of my captor, not bloody anymore, but had gaping holes in its place. I had flashbacks of my nightmares from a few days ago, and Kisame would still haunt me forever. I sank back into my sheets, surprisingly frightened, until the setting caught my eye from the light of the dancing flames.

I gazed upon the setting of the room in awe. Never had I seen such a beautiful view. I faced a window, blossoms blooming in the moonlight and mockingbird singing in such sweet melody. The forest felt damp, but my comfort was found near the flames and blankets wrapped furiously around me.

"Tetane Mikaze, the girl who lived."

I stood straight, surprised by the gentle female voice behind me. My body faced the cherry wood windowsill, but my head turned slowly. There stood a woman about thirty, but young and beautiful all the same. Her blue hair was mostly down, except for a few strands in the scalp, pulled tightly into a messy bun. She wore the Akatsuki robe, and had a black piercing that resembled Pain's below her lower lip. Her orange eyes blazed like the kindle, and a wonderfully crafted white origami flower was placed on the left side, pinned to her hair orderly.

I blinked slowly. So I'm not the only female member… interesting for her to take me in and save me.

"I hope you had your guaranteed rest. Itachi put you under his control for three days-"

"Three days?!?" I spat, frustrated that I never resisted.

The blue haired woman laughed, but not in any particular laugh. She giggled mechanically, like it was done for her. I became suspicious immediately. "Yes, as I recall, you were in his control. You accepted the terms of the Akatsuki, and he told you to stay with me for the night… or nights. It's pretty funny, though. You looked completely in his control."

"That's what's supposed to happen. Damn, I thought I got away…"

She drifted to where I lay and sat on the futon, a warm smile lit by the flames onto her face and the wind from the forest ran through her combed hair. I became jealous surprisingly. _This woman was never here for my pleasures; she belongs with the people who put me in peril, _I thought vigorously, lifting up the covers furiously.

"Oh, please, Miss. Mikaze, take your rest. I never intend to harm you in any way, unlike those unruly men back at the base." She drank her tea slowly and evenly, sipping sweetly, smiling in pleasure. "My name is Konan, by the way."

I sighed, letting my sore muscles relax, not thinking that she was a threat. "And you know my name. Great."

Konan placed her tea on the porcelain coaster and walked to me in silence. I shank, hesitating from her placing her gentle hand on my burning forehead. She sighed contently, apparently not happy with the results. I got up, worried, believing her reaction. 

"Well? Am I well?"

Konan sighed again and began sipping her tea with ease. "You have a fever of 122, sadly. Luckily for you, that's only a little over your body temperature, being 118 at average. You'll live." She chuckled at her last comment. I nodded, impressed. Konan knew what she was doing with a first aid kit when she needed to. With all of the pointless fighting I get myself into with Kisame, I'm going to need her skills a lot to prevent further damage. She wasn't a threat, like most female nurses, but I had to keep a watchful eye on everyone at the base, even her.

Konan went to the corner of the dark room, part of it luminous with candles, and grabbed a nicely folded pair of clothes, including the Akatsuki robe, hat, and ring. I groaned, tossing myself into the open covers. "This is not a good time, Konan."

She gave me a stern look, like a mother gives a daughter. "Pain wants you to wear the cloak, pants, and ring everyday to indicate that you do belong here with us. Wear the straw hats for travel, to disguise you for any occasion. Here's your robe. It's only one size, but I'm sure that it will fit perfectly in a few days' time."

I blinked at the outfit. Never would I be caught wearing this, but the red clouds and black background symbolized a dominant clan. Maybe sometime in the future, I can use this pattern for my clothing decoration, if the Akatsuki all perish within my grasp. I thought of home again, and forgot my manners, my throat closing in from the inside. "…thank you…" I murmured almost to myself, reaching out for the attire of the unit.

Konan saw my internal pain. "The first day is always the most difficult," she spoke in words of wisdom. "All you have to do is not to think of your home and you'll become very close here."

I cringed, tears flooding through my eyes, the faces and memories of each Leaf Village person I cared for. "I miss Konaha… all of my friends, my loved ones…"

"What…? Oh, you're crying." Konan rushed over, almost drifting, the way Pain had done. She felt my hair, smoothly feeling the texture, and looked at me. I wiped the broken hearted tears off my face as best as I could. A person like me doesn't cry unless on the verge of death. Then why am I doing it in front of her? This gentle woman who took me in when I was injured and sick?

She reminded me of my past-existent mother.

"I feel sympathetic towards your situation," she commented, stroking my hair, "You become captive to an organization of criminals, and a slave to one of them, fighting for your life every day. I know that exact same feeling, sweet one."

"How would you put yourself in my position and say that I was poor at luck?"

Konan hesitated for the first time tonight, and spoke gracefully: "Because I'm in between two quarrels and I need help from a friend who can't even respond to what I say anymore. Here, since you are the only female I can talk to, let me brush your hair. It appears all tangled."

I stood speechless. I accepted her request with a nod, and wiped my tears again. This was impossible. I was treated like someone again, like at Konaha, well, being the fourth Hokage's sacred daughter. Konan was gentle hearted, too soft for the hardness of the male population of the Akatsuki. How could she be here with a fighting chance? I don't know until I ask her quaintly.

"Konan, no offence intended, but you're too nice for this gang of unwanted criminals. Why would you join them if you had nothing to do with them?"

Konan smiled mechanically, taking another sip of chai. "I'm only here for my close friend. He struggles with himself very often, and I need to be there to protect him. If I fled, I would not be able to hide the guilt. He will fall apart without me."

A spark of interest entered into my mentality… protection against all odds, for a friend who does not want her help, but needs it desperately without question.

"May I have permission to ask who?"

Konan hesitated again, an apologetic face glued to her expression. "To tell you the honest truth, I'm not allowed to tell of anything to you."

Her fingers ran through my hair like a snake on high grass. Her fingers reached my scalp, and I relaxed suddenly at ease. I gave her an apologetic face, and she smiled sweetly, running the metallic glass brush through my hair, magically straightening it with only one gentle tug.

"I forgive you, sweet. By the way, I was amused with your eye techniques."

I straightened my posture again; frowning in the case of her being entertained my eye techniques. "They are not supposed to be amusing. Sure, I made a few unfortunate jokes, but I never intended-"

"-it's fine. I never meant it that way. I was just jealous…"

Hmm, jealous, the word coming from the mouth of the former solo female Akatsuki member. She must have had at least one member drooling after her. I became concerned, but confused.

"Jealous…?" Then something in my hair snapped, my vocal chords activated, and I cringed. "Ow! I think that was a scrape you ran through with that brush."

"I'm so sorry," Konan stuttered, worried that I was actually going to die right in front of her.

I laughed it off, my voice strenuous from the screaming I did those past three days in hell. "Forgive me, I'm fine. Just please, tell me more. I want to hear how the truth is twisted into lies."

Konan blinked, confused for a slight second, the continued. "Yes, I was jealous at the meeting. You captivated everyone's attention. There are a few male members who seem to take a liking in you."

Oh boy. This affections junk is going to get me someday. What the hell makes me so attractive? I'm sarcastic, dramatic, a pain in someone's ass… I don't know anyways. I immediately thought of Hidan, and the interested canine smile he showed to me. Pervert. He probably wants to take me for granted and intentionally rape me. I'll be sure to handle him personally and painfully. But when Konan spoke the simple word "liking", I blushed light pink. Of all of the things I end up humiliating myself with, I respond to Konan blushing my face off. That's going to help a whole lot.

"Yes, I've known that Hidan is fond of me," I replied, still red hanging onto my cheeks, "I have only known him for three hours in Akatsuki meeting, but he is ruthless and a violent animal and I don't respect any words that come out of his over-used mouth."

Konan laughed mechanically again. "I agree with what you say, which the personality of one of the immortal members, but I was talking about two others."

I took a wild and obvious guess on one, not thinking on speaking immediately.

"That blonde, cocky teenager in the second row who I used in my demonstration… Deidara."

The blue haired woman nodded slightly, still running her lithe fingers through my now straightened golden hair. "He does like you. But I was also referring to Itachi Uchiha."

My mind paused on the account of shock. Uchiha, the emotionless mass murderer who had no heart, who killed his entire clan in one night and sent no apologies for what he had done, who left poor defenseless Sasuke laying in the dirt and blood of his own family. Heartless. The word describing Itachi fits perfectly. It fits perfectly with every member here, well, except Konan, and maybe the always confused Tobi.

Itachi Uchiha, the man who never blinked at danger, yet never ran away. I imagined him, very precautious, his black bangs blowing in the wind that day in Konaha, his onyx eyes staring straight at me, looking at the bigger picture, or what really came to my mind. My heart grew as my lips twisted into a small smile.

Did I ever tell you that I held affection for Itachi, ever since I saw him two years ago?

My heart raced, by god, and my sweaty hands shook slightly. I guess you could say that I wanted him. Ever since that day I turned fifteen, and when those two came to Konaha in attempt to capture my poor brother…

_My heart raced in attempt to keep my irregular blood flowing properly. How could something like this happen? These two strangers wanted my brother for the sake of their power hungry ambitions, Kakashi told me, whispering at the back at the restaurant. Thank god that he was with Jiraiya at the other end of the city. Maybe those two members were confused about their sense of direction._

_I sprinted across the bridge, the roses I would give to Lee were falling petal by precious petal to the wooden ground, or they were taken by the wind and drifted into the running river below. I sighed quietly and sprinted further, my feet only touching the ground for a few milliseconds. Just close enough. A mission on the date of my birth. Wonderful, so much for my ramen deal with Kakashi and some others._

_My heart pounded. I'm almost there. Just hurry._

_Then suddenly, the two mysterious men disguised in their straw hats. Standing completely still in front of me, emotionless. Stand tall, I whispered to myself. They might kill you._

_I narrowed my eyes, making the false belief that I wasn't afraid of two S-Ranked Shinobi. "Can I help you?" I said stupidly. Way to go, Tetane. You just embarrassed yourself in only one sentence._

_The two men differed from each other. The one on the left was much taller, and had muscles and biceps of nobody I knew. The one on the right was skinnier, but lither in appearance. They both stared at me, slightly smiling at my mistake. Hurry, Kakashi. Please, for the sake of my survival._

_The man on the right moved slightly, only to take my breath away._

"_Are you Tetane Mikaze?" he questioned in a masculine voice that stung my shield._

_I stood on the balls of my feet, very watchful and very suspicious. "Why would you want to know? Have you two been on the lookout for her recently?"_

_The man to the left spoke, a voice like a combination of a gentleman and a growl. "We wish to have her."_

_My eyes widened unconsciously, giving my mystery away. Damn it. "Well, I don't know where she is right now, but you can please identify yourselves, because I have a strong feeling that both of you people don't belong here." I ended with a victorious sneer._

_They both turned their heads towards each other and turned back._

"_My dear," the disguised man on the left smiled, "My only wish is to take you in, and only for pleasure. Surely you come to understand that."_

_I flinched. He lifted his hat in slow motion, and I realized my jaw slightly dropped._

_This man was all muscle, I could tell. His irregular shade of blue skin color confused me. He held a mammoth sword covered with cotton strips, and his face appeared as a combination of a man and a shark. He possessed gills on him cheeks and unemotional gray eyes that would make even the scariest ghost shiver and sliver in fright. I've never seen anyone like this man before._

_The Shark Man tilted his hat before me and knelt to the open ground on one knee. I almost spat in disgust. _

"_My name is Kisame Hoshigaki, my dearest."_

_I shrank back with awkward thoughts racing and pounding into my head. Surely the man who wanted to take me wasn't acting like a complete gentleman for my sake? I became sick, and Kisame smiled with shiny, white sharp teeth. He got up and I stood still for the longest time, never going to recover from the shock I had received. Was it the accursed gen-jutsu that glued me to the floor? No, it couldn't be. _

_The second man nodded to himself, and reached for the brim of his straw hat. "Tetane Mikaze, you will have to come with us."_

_He unmasked himself, and I almost gave out. This man was extremely good looking, almost too god like. His black as night bangs shook in his handsome face, and the rest of his hair was tied neatly into a ponytail. His eyes were of the Sharingan._

_Sasuke's brother… Itachi Uchiha._

_I recalled all of the evil things this man had done to his family, and he never felt guilt about what he did. His name ran into my ears, for all of the pleading screams, to the slaughter of the lambs. I would even shiver. He was a real danger to the village, and I needed to terminate both of them._

"_Get away… from me…" I stuttered, stumbling back, "You don't know what I'm capable of!"_

_Kisame smiled evilly to me, coming in slowly, pulling out his sword. "We know all about you, Tetane. Daughter of the great fourth Hokage-"_

_Itachi interrupted, impatient. "-and sister of the Nine Tails, Naruto Uzumaki. Yes, no wonder Orochimaru is interested on having you back… before you resist, where might I find your brother?"_

"_That's funny, you bastard. I intend to resist."_

_Itachi smirked, as did Kisame. "Well, then, if you're indeed the famous gen-jutsu artist of the Hidden Leaf, look at me with authority."_

"_Again, we do not want blood on the ground," Kisame snarled, pointing his long sword at me easily with one hand, "Nor do we want a battlefield."_

_I sneered, again cocky with the other side. "Then put on your armor."_

I ended up being defended by Kurenai and Asuma, my very close teachers at heart. The battle stung me until I saw the face of my captor again, two elapsing years later. But I never forgot the face of Itachi Uchiha, probably the sexiest man alive to date… what the hell am I thinking?!? Has Kisame poisoned my mind as well?!? Just breathe… that man is just a distraction.

I imagined the time he lifted my feet off of the open air with everything remarkable he did, not by accident, but maybe for a purpose. He and I were alike so too much. He and I descended from the Village Hidden in the Leaves, but he betrayed his village… but the way I walked out and tried to kill off Kisame, it was a semi betrayal. Wow. Talk about shame. We also are the only S-Ranked experts in gen-jutsu, which is a great accomplishment. I take that to the heart, and if Itachi thinks he is better than me, I can teach him the values of correction. We are both serious when we needed to be, and speak proper and mature English when planned. We grab the attention of the public. We are both capable of a controlling eye. We are different thinkers. We connect, in a way I will never understand.

I come out of my deep thinking and Konan looks at me in interest. She meets my eyes, and smiles sweetly, like a devoting, proud mother to her innocent and gifted daughter. "You have beautiful eyes, Tetane… like looking at the dark sunshine. A gold heart and a gold spirit. You must be very proud, to wear and possess those colors in the public, standing out like an angel in hell. Itachi must be truly blessed."

I laughed, Konan not fully grasping the internal truth hidden behind me. "I'm the last person to be titled as an angel. Ha, an angel. What a depressing statement of words for someone who knows only little facts about my history and what I'm really like in personality. Besides… Uchiha is too good looking for my standards." 

Konan frowned, putting hands on hips. "He respects your abilities very deeply and wants to train you."

"I could tell," I responded, still in denial. "He admitted that his eye was weaker than mine, and pleaded for my partnership. I think this could all come of good fortune at the end of the day." Well, for me at the least. I can destroy this clan of villains.

"I know what I talk about, Tetane. My predictions are actually very accurate," she states, brushing my hair for the last time, and then holding it in place with only one hand.

"Well," I mused quietly, "if this is true, then for fact, I love him. Truly."

Konan paused for the smallest moment, and then went on like nothing happened. "And I'm done experimenting. How does it look?"

She handed me a platinum mirror glass, decorated with elegant rose patterns. I turned to the reflection in awe, believing that my eyes deceived me. All wounds from my face were gone, like they have never been touched by my notorious captor. My black eye was gone, erased from physical standpoint. I went to my neck slowly, and the curse mark will always be there, haunting me forever, the partial burden of the Ghost Jinchuuriki curse mark. I looked at what clung from behind. My hands dropped from my neck in shock. A bun was neatly pinned to my hair, but for show, a few golden bangs remained to my forehead. The bun was tied by a scarlet bow, and hung loosely. I gasped.

"Incredible. All of the cuts and punctures on my body are gone on my face… and a bun? Konan, I've never worn my hair up before in public."

Konan rested her arm on me, successful and happy that I was satisfied. "You look beautiful, Tetane. You always will with your kind spirit and determination. I would also like to include this in your hair."

Konan ran her smooth feminine fingers through my now perfect straight golden hair, her official Akatsuki ring making metallic stings on my scalp. I shivered, and Konan's hush clamed me down, almost like a sleeping gen-jutsu. She pinned something down, gentle, but held when she left my head. A smile implanted on her face, and I grinned as she did.

"A rose," I brought out, saying my mind.

"It brings out the color of your Raikugan eye for better emphasis," she stated, turning around, giving me my folded clothes from the corner. She set them down in front of me, and backed, leaving me alone in the spare room. I wanted a peak at what I appeared. My cloak was passed down from other members, already dead. Zetsu must have collected the cloaks and disposed of the corpses. I smelt the heavy fumes and rotten scent of blood, pried from the deceased member who wore it. The memories of the victim who wore it may be forgotten, but his or her blood stains this symbol of hell forever.

I next observed the straw hat. It was new, cheaper than the exclusive group cloak. A little trinket of scarlet string and beads hung loosely and freely, making a silent jingle. It was only used for traveling, and there was absolutely no way I would wear it. It would only cover the pain I have to bear, trying to capture and extract my brother. What sweet sorrow. I fought my emotions with confidence, but bitter tears cascaded from my face onto the straw hat. I peered over to Konan, and she was nowhere in sight for the time being. I sat relieved, tossing the disguise to the side.

I looked at the ring in silence. Pain had assigned me a silver ring that I was required to wear on my right index finger. The print said: "Truth".

I laughed like a maniac, maybe towards the theory of insanity… or that was the most ironic coincidence I've ever seriously experienced. My mockery echoed through the room, scaring away the mockingbirds. To my surprise, one of the Mockingbirds jumped onto the cherry windowsill, sighing in a singsong melody. I glanced at the bird in a bored expression, the turned my attention to the assigned ring. My fingertips turned the ring any direction, looking for a bond of some kind, or some implanted trickery hidden in the interior.

The little bird tweeted for my attention. It was on the ground in front of me, peeping. I narrowed my eyes. This bird was different from the others, having a black plumage and a golden underbelly. A weird color for a Mockingbird. I turned away, and the bird peeped again. I sighed deeply, almost to myself in low self-esteem, and put the ring upon my right index finger. It matched perfectly. Too perfectly.

I shook the thought from my mind. My back bent to the rare bird, my ringed finger beckoning the bird to come lay and be protected. The bird commonly hopped on, and I raised my finger to the distance.

"Little bird," I whispered, "Can you fly?"

The bird tweeted.

"No understanding, I see. Well…" I mused, talking to the Mockingbird in depth, "have you no sight of what you witness? You are beckoned by the lulling sound of my voice, and the others flew before I had the chance to greet them kindly. How weak minded… unlike you, my feathered friend."

He perched upon the windowsill, letting his yellow talons land on the side bar in comfort. He was listening, didn't matter if he was human or not. He twitched his little speckled head to the right, communicating with me to go on. I smiled.

"You stand alone among others, don't you, my little tori? A darkened heart, a tale to tell? Well, I compare to you in status, us both wanting more than needing. We both want to be free. You have the power to do that. Then, now, why won't you fly?"

I realized right away that the bird couldn't fly with a broken wing. He twitched his head to the flock of other birds, flying independently away from him, not caring or coping for his disadvantage. I felt sympathetic immediately, putting myself in the bird's place.

"We're both stuck here, broken wing meeting broken wing. Such sweet poetry. I wish for something like you do little tori. My broken wing and yours differ, but still feel the same pain. I'd wish for anything like you do, bird. For that, I will call you by the name of freedom… Jiyuu."

The bird peeped in delight, finally knowing someone who knows their standpoint. I beckoned him over, and he perched on my shoulder, right on my Akatsuki cloak. I was ready to move, and Jiyuu stood right beside me.

"I believe in something powerful, Jiyuu. Like you do… to stretch your wings and fly away with your loved ones. I am in your position of torture. That is why we must be patient and wait for the right time to strike. On my vows, I will stand above all."

Jiyuu sang sweetly, like he did understand my words.

"Time is precious now. Love is bitter, but the taste only welcomes you in patiently. After the wait, it tastes so much better. Don't worry, little Mockingbird… we'll both make it out of here. We'll be free forever."

. . .

Dawn approached quickly for a change, and I woke from a deep sleep. I turned to Jiyuu, who sang to the top of his little lungs, trying to get his attention. I sighed, leaning upright, a sarcastic smile planted on my face. "You don't stop, do you, Jiyuu?" The Mockingbird cooed, admitting. I laughed lightly, getting up from my personal coffin.

I dressed quickly, putting on the cloak, which was smaller than I had expected. My sleeves ran loosely, and the bottom did as well. Oh well. It's not for the show, is it?

I ran to the mirror, unusually jubilant. I saw myself, my transformation. The rose implanted on my head, the blonde bun, and the cloak. I look like I never rebelled, and that all my loyalties were to the Akatsuki. I sighed, taking out the rose from the strands of hair. I wanted to appear dangerous, not pretty. I sighed. Konan and her paper roses. It made me look like a twig about to be broken any minute. Sasori may have been right.

I exited the temporary bedroom with Jiyuu resting on my shoulder. Konan saw me and smiled.

"Tetane. Good morning, sweet."

I smiled calmly in return. "Good morning, Konan."

The oak door and entrance was blocking out a person, themselves knocking on it. Konan sighed lightly and opened the door. I hid once I saw a flash of blonde.

"Konan?" Deidara questioned, looking around, "Do you know where Tetane is, hmm? I need to ask her something immediately."

The last time I saw that handsome face was when I fell into implied unconsciousness, his face horror struck with sadness. I had too many flashbacks in one time that my brain pounded. _Continue and move on_, I thought, _He just wants to see if you're well again._ I peered behind my bedroom door, and Deidara painted a smile, trying to be polite to a much older Konan. She resided herself and looked grim in front of the optimistic blonde.

"She has been resting for the rest of the night," Konan stated, true as a fact could get, "If you could ask later-"

I couldn't stand my excitement from taking over me. I rushed to where Deidara was and hugged him tightly. Deidara stood petrified, almost afraid of his own shadow casting from the upcoming sun.

"Deidara!" I breathed, embracing him with all emotion. Deidara laughed, and I stood back after a priceless moment like this.

He stood breathless as well. "Oh my god, hmm…. you look amazing, like a piece of priceless artwork."

I blushed unintentionally, but I never wanted to. I didn't have affections for Deidara like he did me, but he was a good friend at the presentation three short days ago. He turned his head, his long blonde bangs blocking my view from his face. I guessed that he was embarrassed.

"…r-really?" I stuttered, again, not meaning to be, "Are you honest?"

Deidara smiled, the radiance of the sun reflecting on those perfect teeth. "Yeah. You look great."

Konan grimaced, unusual for her. "You wanted to ask her a question," she spoke, almost whispering to herself. Jiyuu tweeted happily, and Deidara shook his head.

"Never mind that for a few minutes, all of the other guys need to see you. You'll be a knockout, hmm."

Oh no. No, no, no. That's not going to happen when I'm in control. I can already imagine the surprised faces that I made it out of there alive and Kisame's face twisted with disappointment. I frowned in response, narrowing my eyes, indicating if he was deadly serious or not.

"Hell no," I retorted in response. "I'm not going to all of the men and making a sexist fool out of myself. I have more important things to be doing. Besides, Kisame will never approve."

Deidara tilted his head and laughed loudly. "That foolish shark man doesn't know what will hit him. Come on, just let me guide you."

I twitched my left eye and bit my lip. Shark Man probably won't like it.

That's probably the reason why I want to do it. I smiled sarcastically.

"Fine, then. I do not have any other choice, do I? Konan, if I die of extreme embarrassment, can you come to my funeral?"

Konan laughed mechanically, kissing my cheek for a farewell. "You will be fine. Have fun, sweet."

I glared at Konan, wanting her assistance right away, but she tried to warm my heart with positive thoughts with her simple smile. I waved when I turned my back, and Deidara smiled with sweet success. I smiled, taking first glance at his face. He was certainly good looking, and I bet the world he knew that too. His blonde hair shimmered in the sunlight, and his sharp blue eye sparkled, probably meaning for me. I turned away, not appreciating the sudden rush of adrenaline and stomach ache.

I peered at the scene before us. The forest was peaceful, almost too blissful, being in the middle of an Akatsuki base. The birds and furry creatures stared and hid, obviously knowing the colors and symbol on the cloaks we both wore. Jiyuu stayed at my shoulder, quickly moving his head, observing the scene. I pet him from the underbelly and he tweeted in a singsong compliment and appreciation.

"What the hell is that?" Deidara questioned, staring at Jiyuu in confusion.

I smiled calmly, almost sighing to myself. "This is my little plumaged friend, Jiyuu. He is suffering from a broken wing, so he decided on clinging onto me until he heals. He's very loyal."

"Jiyuu… freedom?"

"Yeah, I guess."

Deidara cocked his head to the side, shaking the thoughts appearing in his head. He faced me, a face of fake sympathy in his expression. "So how are you? You okay… from three days ago, hmm?"

I turned serious for a second. "Better, I guess. I want out. Badly."

"You know, there's no way out. You know that, right? I'll tell you my story later, of how I became an accursed member, hmm. I can't tell you how much I suffered under… never mind. I don't have the guts to talk about it."

It became rather silent, only the melody of crickets whispering in the hidden strands of tall grass. It was kind of awkward for a few minutes, both of us having nothing to say to each other. Then I saw it from a distance away. My face dropped with depression and misery.

The city in front of us was practically destroyed from every part, except for this tower that stood proudly with the insignia of our group. Someone was hunched over, all seven hundred feet, and stared out into the upcoming sunrise. Deidara laughed lightly, chuckling mostly to himself.

"Leader in his usual spot, as always. Does that man have sense to guide when he stands there looking out into the open world, hmm?"

"I respect him," I disagreed, narrowing my eyes, trying to observe Pain from a farther standpoint. "He might know everything this unfortunate world has to offer. He was wise at the presentation."

"He appreciates your eye-"

"But he knows what he does, unlike you," I commented rationally and harshly, almost scolding him with words of truth, "There's a good explanation of why he is the leader of the Akatsuki, the most powerful group of villains on the face of Earth. He keeps the attention of everyone, and heck, he could run the world if he wanted. He's probably thinking of that right now as I speak to you, my friend. Just imagine… you could get your own village, to run everything by the commanding boom of your voice. Pain feels that way. He's a powerful dictator, Deidara."

He opened his loud mouth to argue, but he held his breath. "Fine," he mumbled, "I see now…"

"And I hope you appreciate it while my breath can last."

We walked again, through the ghost city and into the forest again. Deidara tossed his head, finding the hideout entrance. "It's blocked by-"

"-A gen-jutsu," I interrupted, my Raikugan already activated in the spam of a bird's wings reaching the air, "I got this."

Deidara laughed in a cruel tone, almost mocking. "You think, but you don't know. Watch this, little gen-jutsu artist." He took his palms, leaned against the entrance; chakra buzzing out of his mouths at an instant, and spoke commandingly. "Katsu!"

Something on the inside of the exterior exploded, the smoke escaping though the disguised door. It opened, unlocked, on its own, giving up the strength to hold onto the hinges. Deidara laughed evilly, and I stared at him. "What was on the interior?"

Deidara smiled like a maniac. "My art, hmm. Sometimes Nin beats Gen sometimes. Besides, art is a bang, hmm. There's no need to create without destroying it."

_True words_, I confessed silently. He took my hand without my approval and we leaped into the underground base. It was damp, but comforting with the scents of moist dew and morning grass. My blonde comrade scoped the entire area with his little contraption of a machine built into his left eye. He relaxed, feeling tense, and sighed to himself. He gave me an interested look, and smiled sarcastically, his bright teeth still glowing even in the darkness of the caves.

I held onto my will as I talked, not falling for any tricks or moves. "Hopefully this does not take long, Deidara. I need time to myself once in a while, you should know."

He continued smiling, looking extremely cocky… _and I thought I was cocky… _I thought truthfully. "I'm not letting your looks go to waste," he admitted, acting too comfortable, "Come, I want to brag."

"Brag?"

"Just let me grab your waist-"

_Hell no, you pervert. You're just as bad as Hidan, and he thinks he's a womanizer..._ I thought, hesitating. My hand had caught grab of his upcoming snatch and pinned it to himself, myself becoming impatient, not wanting this foolishness. Deidara looked at me, trying to be cool and reserved, but nothing of him distracted me from letting him touch me. Honestly, I was never interested in this cocky blonde. Too bad… he thinks the opposite. He tried to be set free, but that made me pin it harder against his side.

"I'm not comfortable with this procedure," I noted, speaking only for myself, "If you want to make the others jealous, then I'll simply hold your hand. Is that fine for the likings of your needs?"

He sighed, cursing under his breath. I caught sound from him, making me more persuasive by more pain to his pinning. He hesitated, finally giving up on the grabbing of my waist. "Yeah, sure. That's fine. I just want to show everyone that we are close."

Jiyuu gave a purr in his chest, indicating that the blonde step back away from me.

I decided to play dumb for the fun of my pleasure and entertainment. "Close…?"

He panicked immediately, and I almost cracked up, my face turning a slight blush of red. "As friends, hmm," he stated, head held high, "Let's go, I want the superior feeling of greed in my head."

I pretended like I didn't hear that.

We both walked together, hand in hand across the main hall. I asked an observant question.

"Who's here?"

Deidara put a finger to his chin, a symbol of trying to remember. He snapped back up, eye bright and knowing. "Yeah, I know hmm. Sasori, my partner, is present. Itachi and Kisame came back an hour ago… and Tobi and Zetsu. Leader's in his usual spot and Konan's at her house, hmm."

I nodded, but one question remained in my head. Where were the two Zombie Twins? I didn't want to know, either. Sasori, great. Tobi and Zetsu… those two are so strange, and I know no information on them. I'm going to need to know immediately. I don't want any enemies. Itachi and Kisame came here an hour ago, so they must be here, waiting for me. Wonderful, I'll be back with the man who tore my heart on the open floor and the man who controlled me for three days without my consent. I thought about the positives that may come true… their deaths. I happily followed Deidara, gripping his hand. And yet…

"I do not feel comfortable about this. I think you have set up the conversion of us as a couple," I commented, lifting our hands interlinked by the fingers. I glared deeply into his eyes, and he flinched, expecting the Raikugan to haunt him again.

"Why would I do that to you, Tetane?" Deidara answered, his voice stuttering, shaking, "I want the organization to see that your loyalty to the gang is strong for the first day here."

"I was never born yesterday, but I will trust you only for a few minutes. If you want to show some authority, then give everyone the eye. They will back off like you had a disease, or something similar to that." What else could I do?

Deidara smiled evilly, becoming cocky again. "Hmm, good call. Here, someone is coming. Just act like nothing is out of the ordinary."

"You lie, but I can tell that you are nervous."

Deidara whispered in a whiney voice. "Shut up, hmm!"

A member approached us, looking casual and interested in what we were doing. With his height, he could be looking down at us from the distance. He laughed maniacally at the scene, and I spat unintentionally.

"Well, well," Kisame mused, smiling in greed, "Two happy little lovebirds strolling together in the organization. Pity, that you, Tetane, have fallen for Deidara's little plan."

I stared Kisame down, golden eyes linking to gray, sharing the maniacal hatred of each other. If I had the wish to activate the Raikugan, I would tell him to cut his dark heart out with his trusty Samehada. But I can't after that curse mark bite. I'm his. Sadly and Unfortunately.

He continued, smiling. "So how was your rest, Tetane?"

I gritted my teeth, furious, and as much I wanted to swear, I held my tongue tightly. "How's your hand?"

He laughed, pulling up his sleeve. "You thought this injury would grant you a reward, but as always, you guessed wrong." I saw a continuous stitch on the middle of his arm, the work of the Zombie Twin Kakuzu. Both of those members attacked me after my rebellion. I'll kill them both myself.

Deidara's voice of complaint brought me back to reality. "Well, I wanted to surprise you until Fish Flesh here showed up and would ruin everything."

Kisame smirked. "I don't see why he would be attracted to you, Tetane. He clearly has no taste for the right type."

I stood aflame. "And what's that supposed to mean?!?"

He chuckled to himself, eyeing the fact that we were still holding hands. I let go immediately, somewhat embarrassed and somewhat mad. "This is priceless," Kisame grimaced, trying not to laugh again, "You two are perfect for each other. You both were brought here by both of us, and you both serve as fools of love. How precious."

My blood boiled over my fever temperature. If he had the courage to say that to my face, then he should face death easily, too. Deidara glared at my opponent, him too offended.

Kisame couldn't hold it in any longer. "And you can tell the way he feels so much as his face turns bright red!"

Sadly, he was correct. The blonde teenager started blushing as much as he did in the ceremony. All I think he needs right now is confidence, and I'm sure he has plenty of it, him having a cocky and slightly selfish personality. If I decide to apart with him in terms of a relationship, then he'll be the most comfortable person. He not knowing of what affections I hold for him is what's making him crack under the continuous pressure of his peers. I thought to myself for a moment while the two men fought on two different oppositions.

"This was never your matter, Fish Head!"

"Aw, is this a private matter along with your love? I'm sorry such a waste is occupied."

"You call her waste again, and you'll have clay so far up your ass that you'll never make another hand sign in your lifetime."

"And if you stay cocky like you always intend to, friend, I will do the same, only with a six foot sword shoved so far up yours. I wouldn't be talking so rudely to my slave here… please, Deidara, act like a proper gentleman."

"At least I have a chance!"

"Yeah, that's a good one. I've never seen you care for someone other than yourself, you spoiled son of a bitch. I'm surprised that you waste time on her. She's useless, and she never holds your attention. Look, she's zoning out. She even bores herself."

"You bastard…"

"Shut the hell up… both of you…"

I decided that it was the right time to speak and give my authority. Both men turned to me, and my hands were clenched so tightly that my knuckles turned white. My hands ran with the artificial electric chakra, and my eyes turned orange, almost red, a warning that in one more move, the Raikugan would be activated, and all hell would freeze over. Both tensed, but Kisame recovered the fastest.

"Have anything else to share before I send you to your death, Kisame?" I asked, almost at the rank of insanity.

His hand rested on the skin of his Samehada, but remained coldly, frozen on the handle. "I want you to meet with me… now."

I turned to Deidara, my orange eyes blazing a cold fire. "If you want to share affections and connect by our relationship, I grant your permission… only because you need the training and confidence that you once had back to you. Don't make me embarrassed, and stand up for yourself, not me. You must have had to do that once in your pathetic lifetime. I will date you… but only for those conditions."

The blonde teen stood speechless, not believing his legitimate luck. I kissed him, eyeing Kisame, and by the look of both of their faces, they stood in a state of emotional shock.

"I'll see you later, Deidara. Have your heart set."

My Raikugan activated, and Deidara, as he did in the ceremony, gave me a blank stare in the time of a millisecond. His blank face only hinted a sliver of a smile, and I laughed.

"Go to your room and have a rest. You deserve it."

He left without question. I gave my captor an evil glare, him deserving it. "And that's how you use the art of manipulation."

Kisame stood, still resting his newly mended hand on his sword companion. He removed it, and spoke quietly, almost unlike the loud, irritating Shark Man I know.

"What is that… on your shoulder?"

I and Jiyuu gave each other a confused look. "An abandoned bird that's wing needs to be mended. I'm taking him in for the time being, if I can gratefully have your permission."

Kisame stared at me for a long time, having nothing to say. I glared back, the fire in my stomach not yet cooled down enough. Jiyuu tweeted, and Kisame came out of his little trance.

"I'm upset with you."

I sniffled, not surprised at all. I shared with him my sarcastic expression. "Of course, because I've been disobeying your exact orders. I have the intention on resisting, after all. You know me better than to go under your direct commands. I maybe a member of Akatsuki, but I'm not loyal. I'm here because of you, and what you've done. That's the way it went, and that's the way it will be forever."

Kisame regained his emotions, and sneered. "Upset are we? That the always victorious and legendary Tetane Mikaze is defeated by a mere S-Rank criminal? I compose that you thank me."

I became cruelly offended. "And why would I serve my gratitude to the man who ruined my life, who destroyed my dreams, and crushed my heart into the open ground?"

Kisame sighed, shaking his head slowly, denying my question in secret. "Tetane, Tetane, I am kinder than you think. You should be thankful because I stopped you from dying, and only gave the rare opportunity to be my minion. If it were not for me, you would be dead."

"And if it were not for you, I would not be in this hellhole! I am treated like your puppet, now. Everything I do is always under you. Why can't you figure out that I'm not the person you wanted?!?"

"I knew my decision and I still follow it," Kisame smiled teeth sharper than knives.

I wanted nothing more than to turn against him and slaughter him. I held my balance, but remained in battle stance. "You are more of an idiot than I thought you were. I never should have had this fate."

"Actually, there was one in consideration before I even met you," he mused, putting a finger below his chin in thought, "He was my main target until he was kidnapped by someone."

"He lived in your village?"

Kisame laughed, and then coughed furiously. "Oh hell, yes. He was a child slaughtering prodigy. In the Village of the Mist he was known as an innocent killer. He was a cute kid, though. Nice smile."

I got out of my battle stance, and became very interested, not being the only option for the transference of the curse mark. "Who was he captured by?"

Kisame saw my guard go down and continued. "Who knows? Probably someone with the strength to crush him. Besides, he was also wanted for killing the second Mizukage."

"Oh god… you're talking about Suigetsu?!?"

There were many reasons for me to know that name and that face. Suigetsu Hozuki. Tears filled my eyes with a desperate mourning. I missed him. I remember his sweet, innocent smile, embedded with his sharp white teeth, the warmth of his caress, his white hair rimmed with a blue tint, and his vibrant, purple eyes. I sighed, trying to keep the tears back. Kisame glared at me intensely.

"How would someone like you know this?" he asked, growling, "How do you know who he is?"

I replied to something that happened so long ago. "He and I were best friends when we both were trained by Oro-"

Kisame exploded, interrupting loudly. "Orochimaru?!?"

I laughed cruelly. "Don't choke. Of course it was Orochimaru; he managed to be my temporary father as an infant and child. There were so many deaths in that room, I couldn't breathe properly ever since."

My words were turn by all means necessary. I was mentally scarred when I was in my childhood, and I could never take back what I saw. Many dead, only one alive. Suigetsu, has I saw from a distance, went into that room… he never came back out. My best friend, the only person who cared for me in my past never came back out. Tears cascaded down my cheekbones, and Kisame, unlike himself, held his sympathy. He grunted, turning his head towards me in intensity, breathing hardly.

"…if we know Suigetsu is alive…" he began, tense.

"He's dead." I answered quickly. Then I exploded into a wailing cry, surrendering myself on the ground. I looked back upon myself frowning for my action, but he meant everything to me. Then Kisame did something that I never expected from my arch enemy.

He held me, swatting down from his tall posture to kneeling beside me. As I gazed through my pathetic tears, he ripped a piece of cotton from his sword cover. He handed it to me, a look of false upset trying to mask that he was concerned. Kisame had nothing to say back, so I gave into specifics.

"I'm- sure on my- life," I sobbed, not like myself, but weaker, ready to surrender, "Orochimaru- dragged him in with the corpses while he oppressed- no response. I saw his white hair turn- red with his own- blood, and his eyes were- dull… unfixed. I'm sure- his body was burned along the other- ashes…" I broke down, wiping my wet eyes with his ripped cotton strip and Kisame's beady eyes narrowed.

Kisame: "I'm willing to take that bet in a heartbeat. Suigetsu will never lose the strength he had before. I don't think he died like you saw it. It is a possibility he was unconscious."

"He had no pulse," I swore, knowing what I witnessed.

"… I'm still sticking with the true fact that he is alive to date. Besides, if he lasted longer than you did in the hellhouse, he'll be safe."

I breathed heavily, one big choking sigh, and dried my eyes again with Kisame's sympathy gift. "I only grant that Suigetsu is alive, but the chances were not incredible." I leaned onto the ground, my palms flat onto the ground, no strength to lift myself up. Unlike me, Kisame pushed himself by his powerful knees. He casually walked over to the corner, a slight smirk on his face.

"Hmm. Well, I want to… hmm… Zetsu; get out before I really get upset."

I gripped tightly onto Kisame's gift. The strange Venus fly trap of a man was invisible, sunken into the walls of the base. I got up, narrowing my eyes. He spoke in a hoarse voice, plain and simple, but too simple. He had the makings of a fine murderer. "I'm sorry for eavesdropping," he stated, not caring, "But I happen to know about that boy you both were talking about. As of last time I checked Orochimaru's lair, Suigetsu Hozuki is alive, but held by force."

I backed away, trying to dry my eyes with a rush of the damp wind entering through the base. I became very suspicious immediately. "How do you know of this?"

Kisame laughed loudly, and Zetsu cringed silently, not enjoying our company. "Silly Tetane, he is the Akatsuki spy. He is not an ordinary person."

"God, I can tell…wait, you asked me about my father at the pre-ceremony," I mused, my eyes blazing into an orange amber color, ready to activate my Raikugan.

Zetsu's vibrant yellow eyes went inside his head, probably suffering from a pleasure seizure. "Oh yes."

I became a little afraid. This… thing had no identity that I knew of, and he could know everything about me. I asked attentively: "…how much do you know about me?"

His response was of one I never thought coming. The white side of his face didn't speak, but the black side hissed, full of more emotion that the simple white half. "I know everything about you, Tetane Mikaze. Even things you don't even know. I remember the effect of that eye… mmm… so much power to possess, for one little girl. Those bloodclones too… that jutsu is one in a million, and also that gen-jutsu… so much chakra."

I really started freaking out now, and Jiyuu flew hopped away as far away from the cannibalistic Akatsuki member as possible. Kisame laughed to his enjoyment in the background. "You saw my battle with Kisame, didn't you?"

Zetsu sank into the wall some more, afraid he had given that fact away by accident. But he smiled on both sides, each one simple or cruel to begin. My eyes widened in fright.

"Although I prefer wooded areas with many more delicious corpses to digest, yes, I saw your three day battle with Kisame Hoshigaki. All of that beach and sand was disgusting. Not good for my structure. Oh, and I am impressed with your skills. Very well trained, from a disciple of Orochimaru… I'm very interested."

I looked upon my master in horror. He shrugged, leaning back against the wall, interested in what was about to take place. He smiled, showing a thousand sharp canine teeth. I clenched my fists and bit my lip to the algae mutant who had scared me to almost real death by heart attack.

"You should get out before I start pulling out my weed killer…" I retorted. I thought back on that last comment, and Zetsu cringed in his visible white face. He frowned plainly, disappointed.

"Harsh. If you weren't in the organization, I would kill you by sucking all the chakra out of your system. Too bad, hmm Kisame?"

Kisame growled. "I'm sorry, but I also ask you to leave, Zetsu. She is under my control, and I need privacy."

I smiled evilly at Zetsu. I had made my next target among the Akatsuki member slaughter list. Zetsu shrugged, closing his eyes.

"Fine, only for you, member. And Tetane…"

He said my name using his black half, my very name coming in as cold as ice. "What…?" I responded, crushing Kisame's rag in my hand.

Zetsu saw this and smiled simply. "Don't become a ruler. Or I'll come and kill you. Good day." He sunk into the wall and disappeared within the background. I became appalled, and backed into Kisame. I turned around in surprise. Kisame grinned at me from his tall and muscular figure. "So that was Zetsu. Interesting character, isn't he?"

I narrowed my eyes, having the hatred I had when he was here. "What the hell was that about?"

"That's not important right now. I need you in demon form," Kisame grumbled, personally concerned.

I laughed, having that snug smile stuck onto my face. "Something wrong, Sempai? Afraid I might possess a glitch?"

Kisame looked cold, almost too serious. "Now."

I called upon a sacred hand sign and spoke the following words aloud: "Fine… art, demon form!"

Once that happened, my personal curse mark glowed bright blue, like it was transferring into my skin. I twitched a few minor times, and my body changed dramatically. My hair went from a luscious blonde to night time blue and my skin turned grayish with a hint of blue. My eyes changed from golden to soulless gray, and by the elapsing span of a painful thirty seconds, I had the similar physical appearances as Kisame. My cries rang out, and Kisame stood in a state of his own shock.

"I never liked doing this, Kisame. I look too much like you. If we had two of you running around the place, I think Leader would commit suicide if he could…" I stated, joking, but when I saw Kisame's reaction, I knew what he was seeing.

The blue from the transversal jutsu gave out, and covered a spam of my newly formed body. I screamed, withering in pain, and dropped to the ground in my own torture. My blood boiled, and my mind went blank with so many unanswered questions. I twitched several times, and I felt like ripping my own heart out of my own chest…

"Kisame…"I called out, struggling to form words, "Kisame!"

He stood, almost in a position of agony. He sighed, and shook his head. My pain suddenly stopped immediately, and my back lay on the ground. Jiyuu came tweeting back to me, happy I was alright. He rested his head on my shoulder, but I still frowned, still in surprise from the agony. I was back to my own self, and my blood came down on the ground. Kisame spoke for the first time, whispering to himself.

"He was right, that Zetsu. I knew this would happen...damn it."

I struggled getting up, and Kisame ran over and dragged my arm to the opposite force of gravity. I thanked him silently, and gave him a look of dazed confusion. He looked depressed, almost guilty for this whole experience to happen to me.

He muttered to me plainly, clenching fists. "You have a set death call, Tetane."

I didn't comprehend what he said. A large pounding of the transferrable blood to my brain and the sound of my heavy breathing must have affected what he said simply to me. "I don't understand…"

"You're going to need someone to pry on, or you are going to die in one year."

. . .


	3. Art Within Beauty

At first, his words had no major effect on me, since I never accepted them into my mind. I stared at his very confused, not comprehending. Then his hideous words came to realization.

"_You're going to need someone to prey on, or you are going to die in one year."_

So many furious questions ran through my mind, too many at a time, too many to keep track. At first, I gave Kisame a blank stare, and he stared back, narrowing his beady gray eyes silently. I turned back to my unconscious side, trying to solve this crisis in my mental breakdown. Finally, with my blood boiling to a standpoint, the words were comprehended as what he has spoken. I blinked, dazed by disbelief, and gave Kisame a glassy stare. I caught my breath for a moment, and whispered to myself, practically going insane with confusion, anger, misery, and all other unfortunate and upsetting emotions that stirred within my overused brain.

"Senpai, Senpai, you must be pulling my leg for your enjoyment… this is wrong… you are lying," I stuttered, gazing at the ground, "You want me to be loyal for your pleasure… look in my eyes and trust that I don't kill you unconsciously."

Kisame felt the same way I did, but more angered and serious than me and my disbelief for anything he says. He glimpsed at me, and I turned. He did look me in the eyes which were lifeless with bleak gray mist irises surrounding his pupils. He never reacted, knowing that I could never release my eye unless he commands it to be taken in upon him. My eyes blazed orange flame, lighting up the whole damp base with a frightened fire look in my irises.

He picked himself up, and spoke, muttering almost to himself. "I have to upset you, slave, but it cannot be denied. What I say is true. I looked upon your accursed eyes and swore on my oath that I promised you the sad and cruel truth. I'm sorry."

Once he finished, my feet felt like the earth flipped upside down, an opposite site of hell. My head drooped, and my upper body relaxed unintentionally. I grasped onto my head, my hair, my soft, golden hair, and held onto it for the sake of sanity and all that is justice and order. I cannot die. I lived half of my life with Orochimaru, Satan himself; testing on me and making me watch the misery of others having their insides and dreams crushed as quickly as a bird flaps her wings. The other six elapsing years were of the happier times, as examples of reconnecting with my brother, making multiple caring friends and many other special people, and a period of peace. For the week, I have returned back to hell with an internal wound, bound here by a curse of a man who makes me want to scream in agony. I fell back, bending my knees to keep my balance, my fingers gripping onto my hair. I backed up slowly, and breathed heavily, trying to keep my blood pressure from over-emotion intact and straight. My murmurs quickly transitioned into agonizing screams for mercy.

"No… no… I'm not going to die! This is impossible… this is a trick… no, you tell the truth… I'm too young! Why won't mercy come?"

Kisame leaned and became cold. "Because this is a disease that one out of two users gets, by passing on the mark. My former master had it until he transferred the curse to me, and that almost put him to a painful death. That will happen to you in time, like it did to him."

My pulse soared to an 808, and my eyes widened, red. Kisame stood back, and I clutched my head in desperation. "Then what do I do… what do I do, before it becomes too late to cure?"

Kisame's face was hardened to its limit, cold like stone. "Obey everything I say. That is necessary on your health. If you don't do as I say, you will die a slow and painful death."

I gave him a crazed look and laughed from an overdose of insanity. I backed up, smiling unwarily. "If you are playing with me, Sempai, I will personally tear you from the inside." I laughed louder than ever.

"I'm dead serious," he cautioned, never a sarcastic hint hidden in his growl, "Help out, Tetane. If all goes well, you will live."

"What else do I do?" I realized finally that he was trying to help me, and not seek revenge at a desperate time like this. I paused, looking directly in his unrewarding eyes. He mused to himself silently, and those beady eyes widened. He smiled razors as teeth. I stood up on my feet slowly, holding his menacing glare. He looked back, certain of something.

"I know who…" he mumbled to himself, putting that one finger to his chin again.

I was still on the verge of insanity. "Tell me! I'm dying as we speak! Please, I will haunt you if I'm not alive."

He paused. "Damn."

"What?" I ran up, my eyes sure to be an orange tinge. He sighed to himself, and walked near the wall, his back facing me while talking.

"We need Suigetsu. He is the only one that can save you. You will have to perform the transformation on him, and that curse will be lifted. You will live even stronger."

I stood on the balls of my feet, standing stiff in my own confusion. Suigetsu will be the next in line for the curse mark. He might as well be dead than be the victim of this personal struggle. I could imagine the unexpected future from behind the pain of my eyes. He is in my place, purple eyes unsure and confused as he sits in a stone, every resistance tied by the sucking force of chakra rope. I could see his face, scared, frustrated, as I was when I realized that I had lost… and that I was there. I remember the creaking of the door, and the shadow of Kisame grabbing me by the throat; that will be me next, haunting my best friend, forever as eternity can stretch. I could see his terrified face, as mine had been, realizing that I was to transfer hell as a burden, to get this off of my shoulders. I remember my screams echoing in the cave after Kisame crept behind me and kissed my neck, biting the back forcefully. I switch places and put Suigetsu in my place. I cringe at his piercing agony, the way I transfer it into his veins.

I woke up mentally, and Kisame realized my pain. He remained unemotional all the way though. I gave him my mind, thinking of the positive. "But he's-"

"He was only kidnapped," Kisame stated cold as Itachi would be. "He's alive. What we need to do, is keep this all a secret from all. This is an order to be obeyed."

Then came a feeling upon my spine, crawling uncomfortably into my nervous system, then my brain, transferring the command. My eyes widened, and my muscles eased, giving into his power. The strange feeling was that I didn't do anything. My body was in his control, not my mind. I shook my head, trying my best to shake the feeling off of me. It didn't come off, permanent to me. Then my brain reacted, obeying everything he spoke. I clutched my head in support, trying to get his menacing words to stop echoing in me. Kisame grinned victoriously.

"Good. This is good for you, and for me, of course. Well, well, well, the irony of how the manipulative little girl suddenly has to do as I say, and of all people too… how ironic." He laughed, head tilted back. "Now, agree to that same thing verbally."

The same thing happened until I spoke, almost heartbroken. "Fine. I don't want to die today."

Kisame smiled, enjoying this. "And we need to break in and kill everyone we see."

This one I actually agreed to immediately. I dreamt of the future, me and Kisame, enemies turned partners, fighting side by side. We were both powerful, almost unnaturally. I could see my victims in my hand in an instant.

Kisame wasn't finished yet, grinning even wider. "And give Orochimaru a death of a damned."

My face twisted into a sarcastic grin, very wide in length. I saw it, his blood on my hands, his defeated, cold body bowing in front of me, regretting what he'd done. All would be good again, and my vengeance would be complete, victory to my advantage. I grinned and laughed cruelly and coldly. "Yes, oh yes, master. I will obey that statement."

Kisame's eyes widened, clearly liking the term master for himself. "Good. I am still suspicious, so I will keep full attention on you… on everything. Got it?"

I nodded; my smile fading. "Crystal clear, Kisame Senpai. I want to crush him and his dreams. I want them to come crashing down to hell, him along with it. No soul, no evidence. What a day that will be. If you do not mind, master, I will be killing him. I have suffered my entire life as him as my creator. Please, that will cure everything against him."

He faced towards the door in annoyance of something. "Do whatever you want to him. But do not start a riot."

I gave a sarcastic smile and laughed. "You think I will start a riot? Funny, Senpai."

He faced me silently. "Go. I don't need you here, anymore. Have fun with Deidara."

I laughed again. "I know. Here's been eavesdropping. Luckily he knows that."

Suddenly from beneath the shadows walked in Deidara, a snug grin revealed along the side of his face. His hand covered the lens of his scope, guilty of being caught, and saw me at an instant, not caring that Kisame was there. He stared at me, believing me to be unreal.

"I thought I had you until the night time," I muttered, hands behind my back, becoming unhappy with myself.

Deidara shrugged; blue eyes even luminous in the depths of the dark caves of the Akatsuki base. "Maybe, hmm, but apparently I woke up on my bed an hour ago, and the last thing I remember seeing were a pair of red eyes."

I stood almost as unemotional as Itachi. "And you are right. Too bad your little spying scheme didn't work out when we found you in the top corner with a few clay spiders on the wall," I spoke, drifting to the damp cave wall, taking one of his creations and crushing it in one fist. "Next time, don't be so revealing. Besides, even Kisame noticed that. You need to improve upon the plans for your missions instead of improvising."

Both men looked at me, Kisame in petite rage, and Deidara in wonder and disgust. "Damn," Deidara muttered, looking away, still upset that he had been discovered, "This is ruining my jutsu. Usually when someone like you comes marching in… they sense that they don't have that long to live, hmm. But when I encounter a person like you…" he stated, coming closer to me, grinning with a perfect smile, "… I forgive quite easily. You know, since I remember you giving me permission to date you… how about we head off to Igato's at nine? You know, hmm, so we can have some time…" He came towards me, trying so desperately to grab my waist, "… alone."

Kisame looked like he was on the verge of life support. I laughed intentionally, getting a slight chance of humor out of my day. He narrowed his beady eyes and said in a state of command, "Tetane, pull away from him."

That feeling went up my spine again, and I never meant to, but I had pushed Deidara out of the clearing and into the wall. "What the hell was that for, hmm?" he pitied himself, trying to get back up again.

I grumbled. "Kisame…"

My master obliged. "Just… do it somewhere else. I'm done with you, Tetane. Have fun," he spoke silently, walking out, looking like in a rush.

A sudden desire entered my mind. I turned to Deidara. "I need to talk with Kisame for just one minute. Please wait."

The blonde blinked, surprised, and came back to reality. "Fine, hmm. But I want to go on that dinner date. So we can be alone."

I drew back attention on Deidara, looking down. "I promise that, Deidara… by the way, how much of our conversation have you eavesdropped on?"

He shrugged innocently. "Only a few minutes, hmm. It was intense, but I don't know what the hell you guys were talking about. I had to do with a curse mark, I heard from the corner, and other conversations about Orochimaru and some other kid you and Kisame mentioned."

I smiled simply. "Then you know too much."

Before Deidara could even start responding, the Raikugan was activated, and for the third time in his life, Deidara was mentally gone. I laughed, my heart going black as his eyes glazed over. "This isn't torture, or punishment. This is more pain for me to do than you never experience. I hate this eye, and no one understands that. I wish that someone with ears could come to me and be beneficial to me. Don't you wish that too, Deidara?"

The controlled Deidara slumped over. I narrowed my eyes, annoyed with the irony.

"Go. Forget what you spied on me on, and be ready soon for your fantasy dinner. Don't greet anyone, don't look anyone in the eye, and please wake up knowing what I had told you."

He went away, and I stormed out the door, running to the man who ruined my life. He blamed me for getting this disease, when he transferred it into my bloodstream, secretly knowing that I would get it for granted. I cursed to myself, and sprinted until I saw a flash of his Akatsuki robe and Samehada.

"Master…"

Kisame looked back at me and smiled sarcastically. "Ah, Tetane. Deidara's not here, I see. Where did you send him with you precious Raikugan?"

I accepted the point that he caught me off guard, but I was surprised at how he knew that. "I've kept that to myself."

He shrugged. "Hm."

I ignored him as he continued walk past me, the open air breezing past me cold and damp. Kisame never turned back.

I increased the volume of my voice, wanting so dearly for him to hear me. "Please, stop, for a moment of your precious time," I yelled sarcastically, annoyed by how he ignored me.

He turned his head, body limp, and swallowed angrily, too uptight with whatever he was dealing with right now. He narrowed his eyes into slits of frustration. "What do you want from me, girl? I don't need any of your sarcasm right now, especially not of the state of emotion I'm in now. Leave me alone for once, brat." He drifted to the darkest spot of the base and continued from there. I was yelling by that time, desperately needing his attention. "I need to tell you something before I go. If you could just listen-"

Kisame turned, giving my one of his menacing glares that I dreaded to see. "Then tell away. Who's stopping you?" he shouted, enraged on something I couldn't understand knowing.

I spoke my mind. "I don't like Deidara. He's too… spoiled and caring about one's self. He's a nice friend, but I only like one person."

My echoing yells were continuing throughout the base, and once it reached to the ears of the man who transferred the curse mark onto me, he smiled, intrigued, facing the light of my golden eyes in a second. He stood, and I stood stiff on my feet. My heart pounded. _Should I tell him? It could ruin everything in my plans to eliminate the Akatsuki._ I breathed, and Kisame glared down. That look brought back so many unwanted memories… "And who is that, my little heartbreaker?" he murmured, slightly grinning, like the common Kisame that I knew too well.

My heart went irregular. Even saying his name was hard to do without imagining him in an instant. I swallowed hard, like choking on lead, and my eyes watered, letting my emotions for that particular person spill on the floor in front of Kisame's feet. I stuttered, and then spoke simply his full name: "…Itachi Uchiha."

I stepped to the side as Kisame stood emotionless. My body drifted across the room, making myself disappear like in a cast of fog on the simple rainy day. My gen-jutsu was effective, and I needed to speak to Deidara about the irrelevant date he had planned. Kisame stood stiff on the balls of his feet, and then smiled when he thought I was gone, but I was only disappearing and would be gone in a few seconds. It was faint, but I could hear the growl in Kisame's voice as he spoke until I evaporated.

"Well, well. The victim is finally pulled in. Heh… what a turn of events."

I disappeared, and then I was gone in a state of endless confusion.

. . .

"Tell me exactly how a modest man like you is going to work this out. This obviously will have a flaw in the plan, so I want to know what you are thinking."

"My love, I specialize in improvisation. I go with the flow. Just let me guide you, and we'll have a night to remember."

I choked on my own laughter, swallowing sarcasm. Deidara must be bluffing. He only woke up a few minutes ago, nothing to remember his carefree mind, just the way I had planned. I sat on the side of his bed, listening to his heavy, deep breaths and the relaxing and entrancing pulse of his precious heartbeat. He woke up like from a deep sleep, and I greeted him by smiling. When I saw Deidara in that state of peace, I realized how precious life really is, and that destroying it would not get you anywhere but your own name in the bingo book and a disgrace to your clan's very own name. When I heard his mind and his plans for the future, I wanted nothing more than to silence him with his own death. I knew that was harsh, but that was I thought, raised by Orochimaru, my mortal enemy, well, now old enemy. Deidara was surprised when he saw me, and started being cocky as ever. I use the art of seducement, but now I realize that irrelevant actions like that will get you nowhere but your own trouble.

Deidara was an interesting one. He was a good friend, loyal, trustworthy, and a positive heart. He was cocky, selfish, greedy, and a backstabber. I couldn't compare him to anyone I knew well, and he was unique for his sense of direction, opinions, and certainly his obsession with his clay explosions, a deep desire to destroy everything in his path, a deep desire to prove himself and step to the stairs of the whole world and challenge with authority and selfish confidence. I respected him for his strength, his encouragement, his desires, and his personality. I despised him for his lack of giving, his selfish needs, himself, and his decision to stop resisting for the will of the Akatsuki. He was handsome and a good soul. He was evil and possessed a dark heart. He was two halves of an even person. His opponents shake in fear, but his companions trust in him and his jutsu. I have to say I was proud of him, particularly for the things he does and the confidence he has, but that leads to my argument of hatred towards him. Deidara will die someday from his lack of wisdom and selfish decisions, but I will mourn him. That is my summary of the infamous Deidara from the Akatsuki, and I want nothing more for him on my side of the battlefield for everything he has to give… his art, talent, and self-confidence.

I laugh to myself in realization of him probably bluffing. "Hmm, yes, a night to remember. Well, we're walking somewhere… where is the location?"

"It's near the summit of the great sand dune palace, or somewhere like that…" he mused, trying to put his hair back into his famous hair style that I grew to recognize. He continued, turning back in cheer. "…Igato's, I think it's called, hmm. They serve the best ramen in the world. The broth is mouthwatering, and the chicken is so tender…" he stared into space, smiling, licking his lips in hunger. I frowned, shaking my head in disagreement. "I don't agree."

Deidara stopped putting his hair band in and turned around, questioning me with a puzzled look, like he didn't hear my exact words or he was shocked that I had insulted something. "Hmm?"

My mind came into realization of Deidara hearing me. I smiled, shaking my head. "Oh. I meant that I recall another restaurant that served mesmerizing ramen back in Konoha. They were a magnet for my brother, I can tell. He went there every night, or tried to, at least." I imagined my positive and outgoing brother, charging into the ramen restaurant and asking for the biggest platter on the menu. I remember faintly me coming in one night, and he was there, waiting for me. He had the biggest smile, and his blue eyes were always bright. Never will he know that I will come and take him to his death someday. I saw his face, full of an unimaginable sadness and terror, when I, Itachi, and Kisame would capture him… in my own village, too. I shuttered, and hoped for the best of him in the future. I swallowed, knowing that I would have to do that one day. Naruto… the kyuubi…

The blonde teenager mused for a moment, and then turned to me, sharp blue eyes trying to cut into me. "Hmm, well, I can't compare."

A thought came to mind. "What are we going to do for apparel? We cannot walk in with our uniforms on, immediately pronouncing that we are a nationwide organization of criminals."

Deidara came in closer, lips against my ears, a smile twisting on his face in greed. "That is why we act before we play, hmm. We'll find some spare clothes, and go out like a real couple would. But please, find something that suits your… eyes." He murmured, still holding a grudge against me or someone else.

My eyes narrowed. "You have always thought unkindly of my heredity eye. Why?"

He came in, grabbing me by the waist, trying to make himself noticeable for me. "I'll tell you later, hmm. I am still embarrassed of telling the background information."

A sarcastic smile came upon my lips as Deidara's did. "Is it because I controlled you by amusement?"

Deidara tilted his head back and laughed furiously. "No, no, hmm. I accepted to volunteer because I wanted to finally meet you. I didn't care that I was being used… I wanted you to grow fond of me."

I got off the bed, throwing my cloak to Deidara. It covered his face, and he muffled. I laughed loudly and commented on the conversation. "That's sweet, but honestly, don't be a kiss ass. I like you, so don't ruin it."

He got off the bed as well, stripping off his cloak in an instant. "Fine, fine," he agreed, tossing the cloak back to me, "We'll just go by foot, hmm. We'll go rob a fancy apparel shop and go out in disguise. Wear your hair up, you will appear more beautiful."

I stared at him with a confused look, and blushed once his compliments reached my head. "Thanks," I responded, almost flattered. Then reality took a twist and my other self came into being in my mind. She faced my mind, golden hair flat with rage and eyes blazing in fury. Then my conscious looked at me in fake sympathy, almost mocking me with wise words that were true in fact.

"What the hell are you doing? This man is the enemy! He belongs to the heartless group of the notorious Akatsuki! You cannot relate with him! You do not share an interest with him."

I faced her in confidence. "I can create an ally. He just needs to realize that people are precious to this world, and then he will become as rebellious as I am now. We'll kill every one of them, and then send Kisame to his eternal death. It will work out."

She laughed, humiliating me. "He will never understand. He'll die from stupidity and selfishness. Just look." Her eyes became red, and flashbacks appeared before me. His face appeared, handsome and having that snug little smile into perfect place. Then came scenes of his attitude, his cockiness, his inability to realize that he might be wrong once in his life. Then came scenes of me manipulating him for specific reasons, the blank stare he gave me, the way he obeyed everything without question and hesitation. I tried to cringe back from her hypnotic stare, but I was forced to stay in my place. I saw the future from her eyes. I saw Deidara fighting, then making multiple mistakes, then falling into total darkness and a puddle of his leftover blood, dead, a cold body, not realizing that he died for the wrong reasons, fighting for the rule of the Akatsuki. I saw his opponent crush him, and my screams were heard from a million miles.

I gasped for breath in my mentality, and the other me smiled, her ruby eyes fading into gold. I clutched onto my head for support, and Tetane laughed again, still bullying me in my mind.

"You see, he's irrelevant to you. You're stronger, more powerful. You have seen the way he had cringed and flinched at the usage of your Raikugan… use it against him. Kill him quickly. He's nothing but a limp for you. Get him and you as a couple out of your head and finish him at the last time. Take him alone, and use your gen-jutsu. He will hang himself, or at least… poison him; he will never notice the slightest feel of death. Do not use him for your advantage. He's more powerful than you think. He will have no hesitation to kill you for the sake of the Akatsuki. He now relies on them, and that will be you if you don't resist like he had. Sacrifices have to be made. He will be only one for the sake of all you care about. He doesn't deserve life. He was the type to die young. Kill him quickly, and don't let him strike your heart."

I stood paralyzed. I felt the slightest touch on my burdened heart, and my stomach hardened. _Sacrifices will have to be made._ I backed away from my conscious, and ran into the point of darkness.

Deidara tapped me on the shoulder, his handsome face in front of the fading sunset, showing his external light. He smiled. "When you are ready, hmm."

I nodded calmly. "Sure."

He left casually, and my heart felt so much weight on it that I wouldn't be surprised if it dropped. I looked down, my fingers twitching.

_What do I do?_

. . .

Deidara's Point of View:

This is hard to say, but I'm nervous, okay? I've admitted it to myself numerous times, too many to count. Tetane is really hot, and in order to win her, I need to step up my game some. I can't be looking like a fool in front of her, much less embarrass myself like at the last meeting… but things will go my way like they always do. I'll use my charm, some good looks thrown in there, and then I have myself a girlfriend. I wonder how Kisame ever dealt with her… he never hesitated in striking, but then again, this is love I'm thinking about, how to adapt to it, how to create it… besides, love is art, and always ends in a successful bang.

I got the attire from this store that I had no trouble robbing (and then blowing up), and just came outside with a robe similar to what I wore before Akatsuki cloaks. I wore my hair long, not in my usual ponytail, and I was ready to go. One simple 'Katsu' and a bird formed from the ground from the chakra of my clay. I grinned, but then once I saw Tetane, my jaw almost dropped to the floor in amazement.

Tetane could be a goddess if she really wanted. Her hair was back in a messy bun, and she wore a scarlet kimono, wrapped in golden ribbon. Her companion, Juju, or whatever its name was, perched on her shoulder, looking at me with… hate filled eyes. That creeped the hell out of me, but I remained cool, like I always do, and leaned against my amazing creation, almost tripping. God, I have to stay cool. Be cool like you always do. Ignore her completely. And don't look in her eyes… that's happened so many times already.

She peered at me too, and slouched back, smiling. "And so the infamous Deidara arrives, even on the wings of his bird… and I never noticed that your scope was removable…"

I touched my right eye in observation. "Oh yeah I guess I forgot to tell you that, hmm. You ready for the ride? It's only a few minutes away from air travel."

She blinded me with her stunning smile. "Whatever suits you, I'm fine with. Let's go."

I hopped on the ride of my bird, and offered her a hand, being a sincere gentleman. She accepted, and she leaned against my back, her hands around my neck in support of hanging on. She peered at the upcoming sunset, her eyes matching up with the sun itself, the flaming orb actually duller and darker than her eyes and hair. I looked forwards, and left with the push of a command. My creation mounted, getting ready to fly, then took off, accelerating more and more into the air, the wind peaceful and calm. I loved this feeling, but with Tetane grabbing on in amazement only made it more beautiful.

She stood in awe with the sights around her, the cascading clouds almost like the ones on our cloaks, and the other birds soared, trying to catch up with the art I had created from only a little bit of clay and chakra. She turned around, and I saw her face in a twist of surprise. Then I noticed something that I had not really noticed but knew all too well.

The curse mark showed around the back of her neck in the shape of a shark bite. Kisame. I growled, knowing he hurt her inside, and now out. I knew the story, the three day battle on the blood beach in the outskirts of the Leaf Village, the first defeat of Tetane Mikaze, the success of the transfer of the curse mark, and the partnership of Itachi and Kisame finally capturing her after she escaped. I cringed silently, taking memorial towards the young girl beside me who I cared too deeply.

"Usually you would say something cocky right now," Tetane stated, taping me on the shoulder. She beckoned her bird, and he tried his best to cling onto her shoulder. She looked at me, some concern growing on her golden appearance for a face. "What's the matter, Deidara?"

I didn't know how to respond at first, but I spoke my mind as I do every time. "I want you to tell me how you had the curse mark transferred into you, and the battle you had with my comrade Kisame, hmm. I'm just so curious, you know."

She hesitated, then calmed down, pressing a free hand to the back of her neck, touching the rough bumps of the curse mark her master had left her. "I don't think that telling you would be that important. It was nothing, really, I was half-unconscious at the time, I don't really remember."

"That's bull, Tetane. Please, I can tell when you lie. Your eyes narrow a bit when you don't speak the truth, hmm."

She glared at me in annoyance. "Why the hell do you care? You are Deidara of Akatsuki, and you care for no one but yourself. Why do you ask now?"

I could tell it upset her by the way I mentioned the reminder of that dreadful night. Someone as fragile as her could never have the strength to overcome such an experience. I wouldn't last one minute, let alone with Fish Man. I had to give it to her, she was a soldier. She stood tall with no emotion showing, and then kept everything all on the inside. I never quite figured that out, but yet, here I am with her grabbing my shoulders for a first date. I was pretty good for someone who was listed in the bingo book.

I answered briskly. "I care for you, hmm, and I am interested in what you and my close friend Kisame were up to. I hear you challenged him while he challenged you. I want to hear of the battle between you two, and how you survived the transfusion, hmm. You're strong, Tetane, and I want the world to hear of your story."

"I failed miserably," she tried to point out, clutching her fists while her bird twitched its head in pointless curiosity. "Kisame is the first one to win a battle against me in my lifetime. You should be proud of him…" She looked away from me in pity of herself. She hated him for sure. "My memories are clear as day, but I will only tell if you tell me about your defeat with Itachi."

That name made my insides burn, it hurt so badly. The feeling of losing to a gen-jutsu artist and being captured into Akatsuki was my worst blow. I had supreme vengeance against the jerk. He thought he was cooler than ice. I will show him the real light of day, I swear upon my life, even if I had to destroy myself despite. I want his satisfaction; I want the urge to take back what I said about the precious Sharingan being an art, I want his corpse below my feet. I want it all for the pleasure of my success.

To the proposition, I agreed. Was it really right to tell this new member all of my secrets? Heck sure, she was hot and cared for me. She also understood my position and will soon fall into the comfort of protecting herself for the sake of the Akatsuki. She and Kisame's rage will soon soften by the influence of Itachi, and she will be in my arms forever. Well, a man can only dream.

She smiled when I accepted her decision. "Better. Do you know when we land… and how we do it without your 'art' creation being a distraction?"

My mind sparked. "I've got it. Just follow my lead and don't scream, because you won't get hurt, hmm."

Tetane shrugged, fixing her golden bow in the back of her blood-red kimono. "You expect me to scream, you idiot? You don't know who you are dealing with, Deidara," she shoved jokingly. I gave out a smirk; I guess I wasn't the only cocky ninja on the Akatsuki. Cocky, blonde, forced here, and talented… a match made for the blessed.

I placed one of my mouths on the spine of the clay bird and was ready to mutter the words that destroyed a thousand towns and massacred families of any clan. My energy was focused onto the palm, and my hand mouth was tightly biting the exterior of the clay. "Just be prepared," I mumbled.

Tetane had a right to explain herself without my help. She pushed off right before it had exploded, and had fallen softly into the open air, letting gravity take control. She turned at me and smirked, then spread her arms so that she could take in more speed and force onto the ground. My eyes widened, accepting the unspoken challenge. I fell backwards from the bird, my hand mouth chewing off the last bit of skin, and letting go in one tear. As I fell, my hand sign was ready and I yelled my famous word:

"KATSU!"

The bird broke into explosions, fire on air, and I tightened my body together so that my acceleration to the ground and the speed of escaping that particular blast could become faster. I saw Tetane from a distance away, looking up in amazement at the explosion while she sped down like a bullet, her position being head first to the ground. At least someone appreciates my art… Sasori can't outmatch her opinions.

She sped and sped, then was close to the grass when suddenly bursts of charka came in on her feet, a brake trying the position herself to the ground. I gasped and never knew that she was capable of letting chakra out from the open flesh. There were definitely some hidden talents in her, most of them coming from the experiments of Orochimaru. Now there's a guy I really wanted to blow up for enjoyment. I've always found him to be revolting, and his death would be to everyone's liking.

Tetane had steadily placed her open feet on the ground, and glided to the road in comfort, having an uncomfortable face in the fact that she had holes in the center of her new shoes. She shrugged, and then turned to me in surprise.

I had developed clay in the mouth of my right hand, and once I had thrown it on the ground, it expanded, creating a white cushion on the ground. I was caught when I had made impact with my creation, and stumbled to the ground, embarrassingly looking at Tetane's face. She offered a hand, but I had pulled myself up. A real man doesn't take a lady's hand and accepts help, which would be wrong. Once I had gotten up, she narrowed her golden eyes in disgust. I smiled, trying to win her back over again, but she started walking ahead of me angrily. "Do you not appreciate my art, hmm?" I asked, yelling over her shoulder, "I have done this with improvisation."

She turned, eyes colder than Itachi's, and I never knew that was possible. "You're… never mind. Show me the way, and I'll go out of sympathy."

My brain pounded. "What's that supposed to mean, hmm?"

Tetane walked ahead again. "Never mind that. Where is it?"

"You see the red sign with the glowing lights and the name Igato's?"

She stopped. "Right here." She looked up at the sign and peered in, trying desperately to identify all of the sand villagers. I say she should give up; she's not escaping from the talents of my artwork. Or maybe she wants to run away from me, and not the Akatsuki… that's not a good sign of a relationship. I stopped and she gave me a glare that only Sasori would give me. Ouch, that hurt a little bit. I held open the door, and with a fake smile, she went in, eyes moving through the restaurant, scanning the area.

I came in with a breath of recognition; this was the perfect scene for a date. Candlelight and delicious scents of broth stirred the place, and lovers talked and ate in bliss. Tetane noticed that too, and still, she stood emotionless. She walked to the line of people, and like a force, they drifted apart from her like two dividing tsunami waves. She expected this, and walked between the two tides of semi conscious crowd.

I stood speechless, and while her finger beckoned me to join, I drifted to her like the waiting people. "Those weaklings didn't feel a twinge of pain or a shot of effect," I thought out loud, Tetane turning to me in question, "Your eye is wonderful."

Tetane rolled her eyes in annoyance like she had heard that comment a thousand times.

"Look," I pointed out, directing my finger to the private table over there, with a reserved sign over a distance away, "Now we're here, everything undisturbed, hmm. Everything's what I wanted."

Tetane looked away, becoming bored. "Hmm. Quite fortunate." What was with her? What was on her brain that made her feel uncomfortable with me? I needed to act fast, and get her on my side.

I fake laughed, trying to get her attention. "Damn, hmm. No reservations on me."

She finally saw where I was pointing, and glared at me again, a reminder of Sasori to me. "Truthfully, do you take my eye to your advantage?"

"Yes, but as long as I have you as the possessor, I will always never feel guilty," I pointed out, putting my arm around her; "You make my day, my dove."

She responded to this by blushing, then shaking off the calming feeling. She became hard as stone, but I could tell she enjoyed my entertainment. If this worked on her, then I could fully convince her to join with me… and the Akatsuki once and for all. I wonder what she's thinking about. There are many options: Kisame and the whole battle, the transition, me, life… who would know? She's had a sad life, I mean, who would want to spend half of their life with Orochimaru? With whatever the situation is, she'll be in my arms soon with no care in the world but me.

I saw the waiter from a distance, a stern face and a checkbook enlisted in his hand. Tetane saw what I saw, and by my vote, stood in place, waiting patiently for him. I already smiled at what she planned to do with him.

"May I help you, young lady?" he questioned, raising a thin, pencil like eyebrow.

Tetane's eyes were closed and she stood calmly. "Yes, that would be quite fortunate for me and my love, here."

Now this is what stunned me for the rest of my life. She had opened her eyes, and they were glowing… glowing red, like the flame and hearth had gathered just to see the light of day. The waiter had frozen, and never knew it was coming. He had stood frigid, and his black eyes had glazed over his eyelids. The only thing that fell was his reservation booklet. His long neck fell, and there were no uncontrolled witnesses. Pure art.

I was absolutely shocked at what she did. My mouth just hung out, and my consciousness couldn't help but stare straight at her. Her eye was the work of power itself, and the delicacy and balance of that chakra was amazing. Master Sasori would never top that like she did. Nothing was smoother than her, Tetane Mikaze, the gen-jutsu artist of Konaha. Not even Itachi could resist that force. What art preformed in front of me, a privilege to witness, or be the victim of that incredible honor. Those who died of it could not have died in vain. She was priceless, and that eye couldn't beat out anyone. I suddenly realized something horrible stirring in my gut… my art had been beaten again by gen-jutsu.

"Now I've witnessed the true power of the Raikugan," I muttered, the whole restaurant in silence, "What art, hmm."

Tetane smirked when her luminous red eyes dissolved into her normal gold. "I recall you saying those exact words to Itachi Uchiha."

"Oh! Damn, hmm," I muttered again, the words of my past still bitter on my tongue, "Well, I'm impressed, anyways. What are you going to take action in?"

Tetane paused and checked her polished purple fingernails, just painted yesterday to represent her group of clan members. "Waiter, get me and him anything off of the reserved menu."

The waiter had simply nodded, and Tetane had seen him go past the double doors in anxiety. There were murmurs held in the kitchen, then silence. Tetane looked back at me, grinning sarcastically and beautifully, pulling up a chair at the most romantic table in the restaurant. She simply crushed the tag that held the reservation, and explained her tactics.

"I can tell by your reaction to my jutsu that you are confused. Very well, then I will explain. The Raikugan has abilities that contrast to the copying Sharingan. You see, my eye can not only control the victim of choice, but also more than one. Except for you, I had controlled the entire staff and customers at the restaurant, and when the waiter had entered the kitchen area, he had used my method of passing the eye to other people. Everyone in the kitchen had looked directly at him and the gen-jutsu from the victim is activated, thus spreading the Raikugan to the kitchen staff. The jutsu can only be deactivated by me, and I can control every person in the restaurant at my free will. I want everyone back to where they were, eating and enjoying their comfort with loved ones."

The past mind slaves had regained the light in their eyes, and started eating, drinking, talking, and came the occasional laughter, like nothing went on from the standpoint of the famous kunoichi Tetane Mikaze. I sank back in my chair, amazed by her art by eye and love struck, by how she was able to do that whole scenario in a few simple steps and seconds.

"You're wonderful," I burst out, then closing my mouth in embarrassment.

She blushed, combing out her golden hair with the fingers of her hands. "Thanks. I always look forward to your comments."

It was awkwardly quiet for a few minutes, and then I spoke from my mind, which was racing of thoughts that featured Tetane and her battle against her enemy forever, Kisame. I tried to be smooth on saying it, but my mouth just trembled and let it out. "So, hmm? Tell me all about your beautiful self. Did you fall down from heaven just to see me?"

She muttered something under her breath. "Maybe when you arrive in hell."

I never caught it, despite having good hearing. "What, hmm?"

She paused, frozen in the situation while my suspicions rose from above standard. "Nothing," she stated, playing with her bow. "Do you mean my history? My childhood?"

I coughed, knowing that she was acting dumb about this particular topic that we had discussed about on my clay bird creation. "Oh, please. I want to know how you fought shark man four days ago. You almost killed him, and no one has lasted longer than you have with him. Besides, you cut his hand off! That's got to something, hmm."

She gave in, sighing. "I agree. That is a prize, but it's not worth spending eternity in this organization."

"Just think of it, Tetane," I lured, placing both of my hands on the table in excitement. "We'll be the most powerful people on the face of the earth, hmm. Imagine this. We'll rise to power, then rule with terror and control. Everything you would ever want would be at your fingertips. You and I both have the talent to make it through to the top, unlike some other members. It might be a drag, but I think I'll wait until my temper runs short."

Tetane groaned, twirling her chopsticks in boredom. "Deidara," she directed, golden eyes tired from this day of insanity.

I came up, not slouching on my chair. "Hmm?"

"Before I tell you everything, how did you come into being with the Akatsuki? I also want the truth of why you flinch and negatively speak about gen-jutsu."

Uh oh. I was in the direct spotlight. Tetane pierced me with those golden eyes, and I knew I had no choice than to let her suck the information clean out of me. I sighed intentionally, and gave up. "Fine. Just for you, only. It's a very personal struggle, so I need you to not say anything."

"Sure," she agreed, playing with the fabric of the tablecloth, "I'll do anything you want. I just acquire the entire story from your view."

"Again, fine, hmm. So how do I begin?" I mused, taking back memories and placing them into words that were mostly accurate. "So I was about eighteen at the time, and I was in the bingo book for blowing up the town."

Tetane interrupted, already appalled. "To show off your 'art'…?"

I continued, not concerned about her reaction but to the words I spoke out of my mouth. "Those idiots never appreciated it. That little remark sentenced them to their death. I didn't love blowing up my family, but they deserved it. So I flew from town on one of my creations and some people caught my eye. The Akatsuki had heard about my betrayal of my village, and wanted me to join, well, because I had the possessions to help them succeed. I promptly said: 'Hey! What do you people want?' Kisame responded by saying: 'We want you for an organization, the Akatsuki.' After, I said: 'I know of that. I only go solo on missions.'"

"That was stupid to say," Tetane pointed out, directing her twirling chopstick at me, "Why the hell would you be cocky on the battlefield?"

"Hey, hey, hey," I cautioned, trying to explain in simple words, "I was young, hmm. Anyways, Kisame replied saying: 'Here's the deal. We need talent like you'-

"-I'm pretty sure he didn't say talent. Don't make it up. I want the main picture."

This time I had given Tetane a glare I would have given Tobi for messing up on something. I messed up, and it looked like something from a horror movie. I couldn't give her an annoyed look. She replied by raising an eyebrow, but I had continued with my story, ignoring my failed face expression.

"Fine, fine, hmm. He said: 'Here's the deal. We want you for specific reasons… how about we make a bet.' I said, being a tad cocky: 'Fine.' Then in a surprise, Itachi came into view from the back and spoke to me saying: 'If you win a battle against me, you can go. And if I win, you will have no choice but to come with me.' I smiled, saying: 'I might kill you though. Just watch.' Then I came up with the most awesome trick in the book. I had planted one of my snake creations under Itachi, and then by his surprise, the clay snake coiled him by my command. He still remained cold, and insultingly, bored. I tried to see if he was going to retort to my attack, but he looked into my eyes. Biggest mistake I ever made. I woke up only a few milliseconds later, and me and Itachi traded spots. He was free, and I was captured. I struggled within my bond and Kisame laughed in the process, like he's seen it a million times repeated. He said triumphantly to me: 'There's no way you can escape, now that you're in Itachi's gen-jutsu.' I stood star struck, and Itachi appeared in the middle of the rising sun, saying that I lost and that I come with them. I looked up at him with hatred in my eyes, but I made, again, the wrong mistake. He entranced me, and I followed them obediently to the Akatsuki base, in a trance, him forcing me to become an official member. I woke up two days after the kidnapping, and I've hated Itachi and his eye since… but I have been getting used to the lifestyle. I mean, it's pretty good after a while."

I had finished, a little out of breath, but Tetane had never moved. Below her seat, her fingers had twitched, and she starred at me, very interested. I think her mind triggered something of a hypothesis. "Wow. That's why you hate my eye… because we have similar qualities."

"Yeah. I'm sorry for anything I say about your eye. I'm just so pissed that I lost," I explained, looking up at her for more sympathy for my pathetic defeat against Itachi."

Tetane's eyes closed in deep thought. "No, it's fine. I can see someone of your personality get hot headed in a short span of time. Well, you wanted a story about my curse… so here it is."

I had given her a questioning face, but she opened her eyes, the irises not gold anymore. They were glowing red, showing fogged pupils faintly through the irises. I had unintentionally let go of my life as I knew it, and I spaced out. I opened my eyes, I had warped into the redder eyes of another Tetane, the perimeter of her body fogged and she was screaming for blood. Her hands were tied together tightly, and she was placed upon a rock of a throne, into the solid and large room which was unknown to both of us. She struggled, and never noticed that I was there right beside her, looking in my worried sympathy. I had put my hand onto her wounded shoulder, and she never felt it, in fact, my hand had slipped through the interior of her ghost. I finally got it. Tetane was showing me a memory out of her gen-jutsu. Pure Art.

Tetane had screamed, screamed with all of the capacity of her lungs. Her Raikugan eyes were activated, but only to search intensely for the person who had her in this particular situation. Her beautiful face and skin were in the position of haunting death, blood covered from the forehead to her feet, bound together. I saw the horror she had cried, the anger she had favored and tried to use to her advantage. There were tears of hate, and she had screamed louder and louder and struggled with the ropes more and more as time went on. Finally a creak of the door opened, only to find a particular person's shadow stretch from the light of the outside moon. The shadow paused at the figure of Tetane, and laughter could be heard from a mile away and it would still give nightmares to whoever heard it. She screamed the loudest she could, then choked, throwing up blood on her own lap. I had backed away in terror, and the predator had fully entered the room, sword in hand.

"Finally, you're awake. By the way that you were passed out, I thought you had died."

Tetane had yelled in agony for her response. Kisame had pitied her mockingly.

"By my own sword, Tetane, you are loud… and you're bleeding from the head down. Let me help you with your injuries and big mouth."

Kisame had placed his sword face down and had stripped a piece of cloth from the wretched blade of Samehada. He had walked calmly to her, and Tetane had swore and cursed like no one before, and even Hidan couldn't have used that many swears in one sentence. I cringed while Kisame grinned, tightly covering the mouth of his victim. She was silenced, and started breathing heavily, trying to keep her heartbeat in regular pulse, eyelids fluttering, trying to fight unconsciousness. Kisame frowned and faced the other direction, covering the nub of his arm with another strip of cotton cloth.

"You're good, sadly speaking. I've never faced someone like you before, and nor will I ever. Thanks to you, I have almost no chakra left. Couldn't you simply give up and let defeat accept you?"

No reply came from the lips of Tetane Mikaze, but only gags and muffled screams.

"No, you never did. You let your emotions go over the top, and now look at what a sticky situation you have gotten yourself into with me. It was you who wanted to be cocky and face me. From the looks of the outcomes, you had lost the bet. Although you took the privilege of my sword hand, I had almost killed you in three long days. Have you still the courage to stand for yourself? Do you think of your family often with each punch, kick, and jutsu? How about the kyuubi? How will he feel when his step-sister failed and lost the battle to keep him alive? What do you think about that, Tetane Mikaze?"

She had let everything out, and burst into chakra fire. Sadly nothing, not even the strips of comfortable cloth were caught on fire. Tetane had yelled to the limit of her vocal chords, and fell limp in defeat. She heaved deep muffled breaths, and I had realized that the gag had been covered in her blood. Kisame sank in, limping close to her. He tripped, and stood himself up, a gruff of pain coming from him expectantly. He cursed under his breath, and Tetane appeared to have a smug grin implanted upon her face, still sarcastic in a life changing moment like this. I had fallen in love with a strong soul.

Kisame had placed his only hand tightly onto her shoulder, and she shuddered, cringing in pain. Tears streamed down the corners of her eyes, leaving clean marks on her face.

"You know the punishment for losing to me," Kisame growled, "You will serve eternity for me and Akatsuki. It's the only solution I can give, unless I can kill you, which I really desire to do… oh well. I never was addicted to killing, like one of my comrades, but I never minded blood spilling, and Samehada wants a meal. I don't know what ties me to you, Tetane. Maybe the strong Will of Fire, or the half-Mist Village blood… or the fact that you hate me. Opposites attract, you know. Remember that when you die."

Tetane struggled, and her red eyes darted from one area to another, not aware of where Kisame was. He was in front of her, and she breathed in her own scent of blood. He laughed, and she glared at him like I've never seen anyone glare. If she was free, then she would kill him, even if the side effects would kill her. It never mattered to her, as long as the world was rid of Kisame Hoshigaki.

He came to the back of the rock throne, and whispered in her ear.

"I only came because destiny called out. You never expected this, but I was victorious since I had set foot on that battlefield. I had the ocean to my advantage. I had more chakra, and more time than you did. I possessed more abilities than you ever had seen, and my ambitions were stronger. You failed at your mission, Tetane, and you had lost to me. You will accept it. Begrudge me, despise me, and loathe me. That will only make your pain more effective."

The Shark Man had used his left hand to separate the mass of beautiful golden hair from the center of her neck. She shook, cringed, and screamed for his blood. She gurgled, and my heart was giving out. I couldn't stand this.

"You see, this transfer curse is passed down by bite, kind of what Orochimaru had done with your little friend, Sasuke Uchiha. Here's the deal: I bite you, thus the curse of the no tailed Jinchuuriki boils in your chakra system, from every point and edge of chakra. Don't worry if your feel like you're dying, it actually not bad. You'll live by the amount of power you wield. By the way, I have to be perfect of where I send the extra chakra. This happened to me when Tetsu bit me. Some of the chakra from the transfer appeared on my physical appearance… but I'm very precise, so don't worry. You don't have to do anything; just think about your future loyalty, the Akatsuki. You'll take in pride once we had created a new world. Besides, you'll also get over the loss of your beloved kyuubi. Naruto Uzumaki, is it? Well, I hate to ruin the conversation, but time is elapsing before us."

Kisame was moments from the transfer that was going to happen. He grinned evilly, and came next to her in interest. "Any last words, Tetane?" He removed the bloody gag and she had responded by trying to catch her breath. Her chest heaved up on every breath of air, and she had paused a moment later, she had looked down on the ground before her and smiled.

"Have you ever seen the light of day, Kisame? It's lovely, and by the darkness of your heart, you're going to need it soon. Yes, I am defeated, beaten up to close death, and ready for whatever you have for. But you had better prepare for the future. You'll die soon, and I'll make sure of it. I also tell you to begrudge me, despise me, and loathe me. Those emotions will make you stronger. You had never learned your lesson on the battlefield, but after I call you master, practice for your death. The Raikugan will haunt you forever, Kisame. You will kneel before it, bow before it, and show mercy before you die by your own sword. No matter the reasons… you had only won the battle, but not the war between us. Watch your back; you never know when I'll strike."

Kisame had frowned, listening to every word she had spoken. He shook off the feeling, and he grinned, tilted his head back and laughter sounded from the depths of the mysterious place. Kisame had forced and tugged the gag onto her mouth again, and Tetane freely accepted.

"You're a troublesome brat, aren't you? Well, my transfer will silence you and you will have no choice but to obey me and the rules of the chakra. A trip to the dark won't be bad for a girl like you." He twisted the golden locks of Tetane, clearly mocking her appearance. "Blondie, golden eyes, heh, you represent the light of the Hidden Leaf! The ultimate gen-jutsu artist, showing off your eye in public, bragging about the amazing abilities in store for the crowd… that's the past, isn't it? You lost the battle of your life, kid!"

He came up behind her chair, and she looked down at the ground with a face of terror I've never seen on anyone before, not even the faces of the victims I target before they explode with my art. I had backed into the wall, sinking into the corner in sadness and once in a while sympathy. Many questions pounded into my brain, swarming for answers.

Tetane was closing her eyes, wanting to think it was all a dream, but she couldn't break out.

She had lost.

Out of the silence of the night and the tears cascading off of Tetane's face, Kisame had come to the back of the seat. Mine, Tetane's and Kisame's hearts pumped, and when he was ready to make the worst decision of his life, he formed many hand signs, murmuring them one by one, and then bit her center of the neck. He then pulled back after he heard torturous screams through Tetane's throat. He quickly turned the opposite direction, chest heaving, but my eyes were directed at the scene of a lifetime. Tetane was in full agony, twitching here and there. She tried to yell for mercy, but it had never been on her side. After a few moments of that, Kisame had come forward, checking the results of his transfer jutsu. He smiled after recognized the results, apparently a perfect mark and chakra impulse. He looked at her face, and Tetane, while pleading in screams, tried to use the last of her chakra. His guard was down, and Tetane had literally saved herself from death. With her Raikugan fully activated, she had met his eyes. I smiled, giving gratitude to what she had done.

Kisame fell forwards, realizing what he had accidentally done without pulling out his chakra sword. His eyes glazed over like the waiter at the restaurant, and neck drooped, his structure still standing up. When she tried to overcome the pain, she had smiled, and gave a chuckled laugh.

I could tell that she could imply the command onto the mental control, so when she had stopped withering in extreme pain, the hypnotized Kisame came and had unwrapped her mouth, no emotion showing on his face. I had laughed in Tetane's victory, and Kisame proceeded onto untying the knots made binding Tetane's hands and feet. She was extremely happy, though the cringing and yelling covered it up. Once he was done, she crawled to the ground in desperation, twitching and stretching her arms, trying to keep the chakra flow uneven so it wouldn't go through her completely. After the new found chakra had reached the brain, she fell unconscious, her body managing the chakra control as her own. Kisame, whose temporary master was almost to death and was not able to give orders, had deactivated, falling to the ground, passing out as well. I stood between the two rivals in realization and horror. Never have I seen two chakra artists both encounter each other in such equality. It didn't matter how much power one had, but it mattered on what you were fighting for.

I had zoned out as well, but landed into my dinning chair, my pulse irregular from that memory. Present Tetane's eyes had glazed over to her original golden, and I stood breathless in her presence. She smiled, eating a ball of dango. "Interesting, wasn't it?" She glanced at the ramen bowl in front of her, and pushed it to me, smiling sarcastically. "You want it? Come on, you look worse than I did in that memory." She laughed loudly, a melody of happiness.

I didn't comprehend what she had said. Her pain in that gen-jutsu was incredible, almost too agonizing to handle. After that, I had no idea where I was, and what mattered to me. I now saw Tetane as a new soul, and saw Kisame in a whole new viewpoint. I stared coldly at the ramen, chicken broth sending me fragrances of temptation. I turned away for a second to listen to what she wanted to answer.

"Well, what the hell happened to you and Kisame?"

Tetane was in the middle of swallowing dango and gulped down the last of it. "Well, I had woken up before Kisame had, and ran, escaping temporarily. I think I had woke up a day later… and the next thing I realized was that I had looked upon a stream of reflective pool, and the transfer curse had done its work. I looked like him. Then he woke up a few minutes later, not happy about me using the Raikugan on him. He found me a day later, but he had Itachi with him-"

"-and you had the same fate as I did!" I screamed, smiling in pleasure.

Tetane had given me a bored and cold look. I could have sworn that she was Itachi for a small portion of a second with that expression. "No, but similar to it. I had built up chakra when I had hid, but not much of it to spare myself for granted. Kisame went into a clear rampage, but Itachi had told him to stop fighting with me and calm down. It was funny… Kisame had obeyed his partner without question…" She laughed lightly, eyes burning with golden memories. "Then I had attacked, and Itachi caught me in his precious Sharingan in an hour, me with barely any chakra to resist. So I had given up entirely. It was the decision of being killed or being taken captive and hopefully set free sometime soon. I had used the Raikugan against myself and I fell asleep to the hush of the Sharingan. I made my vows, and the next thing I woke up to was the sound of Kisame's laughter in the Akatsuki lair. My transformation was over, and I became normal in appearance. I had lost officially. That is my tale of woe, Deidara. That is my untold story of betrayal."

I had tried to process this. I blinked repeatedly, staring at the face of this beautiful kunoichi. "Wow. We both got kidnapped out of our own will, and are getting used to the atmosphere…" I had slurped a noodle, and became addicted immediately. "Oh my god, this is good ramen."

"You're getting used to it," Tetane had muttered, still thinking about her experience and Kisame's decisions, "I've been commanded to be here. You will never know about the truth about love from family and friends."

I came in tune, food stuffed into my mouth. "Blah, blah. You'll soon learn to forget about irrelevant stuff like that. I got used to it." I remembered that faces of my clan and fellow comrades, and I smiled while tightening my grip on my fist. "Nothing but nonsense."

She looked up, clearly interested and disappointed. "Have you ever even considered that loved ones will risk anything for your safety?"

"Hmm… nope," I had replied, sticking my chopsticks into the depths of the broth and vegetables.

There was uncomfortable silence lingering around the area of the restaurant, and Tetane had stood up, narrowing her eyes at me. "What's the matter, love? Dive into the sushi. Think of Kisame when you bite into it, like you're eating his insides, hmm." I laughed loudly, and Tetane had breathed in annoyance. "Hmm, blue sushi-"

"-You're really getting me angry now, Deidara," she growled, "There has to be something that you cherish."

My decision took less time than anything else. "My art."

"Besides that."

I paused. "My accomplishments."

Tetane sniffed, smiling slightly. "Just as I thought. You're careless and selfish."

I spit out my noodles, and glared at her in shock. "Look, I'm being honest."

She rose from me and walked in the opposite direction. "You don't cherish me either," Tetane glared, eyes narrowed from a distance, "I guess you're using this date just to spy on me from the bidding of the Akatsuki."

I felt insulted, like she had single handedly punched me in the guts. I followed her, and told her my truth. "Hell no! Tetane, this might sound lame, but… but I love you. Really. Just take our relationship as two pieces of clay, here."

I had taken two pieces of clay out of my bag, individually formed onto the palms of my hands, mouths closed, licking their lips. Tetane had forgotten I had mouths on the center of my hands, and stood, a little disturbed by it. I rolled my eyes, smiling jokingly, continuing on with the really annoying, gushy, sloppy argument about both of us.

"It could create something beautiful by coming together. It doesn't stick with just itself; it needs time to make, hmm." I had taken each ball of clay and chewed it into one, and formed it with the tongue. I spat the creation out, and Tetane's luminous golden eyes widened in surprise. "If we just be patient, mending, improving, and creating, our love will be beautiful and permanent like this bird… for you."

Tetane was stiff, blinking to recuperate with herself. "Thank you. It looks just like Jiyuu," she complimented, her hands cupped with the little figurine of her companion.

I bowed down, grabbing onto her hand in encouragement. She blushed, the red tints on her cheeks a compliment to her tanner skin tone. I coughed, and then got myself together in total awkwardness. "I apologize for everything. Will you ever forgive me?"

She sighed sarcastically, and smiled gently, no trace of lie twitching on her left eye. "Fine. I'll give you little chances, so you better shut your mouth." I knew she meant that in a nicer way.

I stood up, laughing, and she too chuckled. I came close to her, and she hesitated, aware of all of the people watching us. Some people crowded and shouted for us to connect lips. Peer pressure took over me, and I had no choice but to do it. She agreed mentally, and we kissed, intertwined with each other.

I haven't kissed too many girls, despite being the handsomest male member in Akatsuki, but this kiss had made this day the best one of all. Her lips forced down upon mine, and I was lost, going through her perfectly golden hair. She was something, after all. Her golden hair, matching eyes, sight on art and pleasure and personality made her an angel in my eyes. I crushed onto her lips, and she freely accepted. This only lasted for a few seconds, but to me, it was priceless, like a piece of art. Love is a bang.

She pulled apart from me silently, and her grin matched mine. People cheered in the background, and we walked together back to our table, silently loving this night. Love could break your heart, but it could also mend it, like the piece of clay. What art love is, hmm?

Tetane glanced at me, but seriously instead of wanting to be taken away by my caress. She straightened for me, and I questioned her. "What's up, Tetane?"

She pointed her chopstick at me for the second time tonight. "I want to know of this particular character you seem to hate… Tobi."

Many bad memories came once she said my name. Ugh, Tobi. Never appreciated my art… and always had some way of making fun of my beautiful sculptures. There was a correct reason in why Tetane had said that I had hated him… but the question was why she wanted to know about him?

"Well," I started, narrowing my eyes, "He's the most idiotic person on the face of this earth. He's annoying. He's irrelevant to our organization, and I have no idea why that creeper Zetsu got him to be his apprentice, or something like that, hmm. He's fun, but he says the stupidest things. I can't focus on my art with him bugging me out of my brains. He criticizes my art and calls it crap! He compares it to a trinket on the local shop shelves!" I breathed deeply. "He must be pretty talented to have gotten in, though, hmm."

Tetane mused, thinking deeply. "What's he hiding? You mustn't think he acts this way on purpose. He's someone interesting behind that mask."

That's weird. I've never realized that before; who he really is and who's behind that orange swirled mask. "Hmm, that's something to consider, because I don't know, sadly. Thanks, love. Now I have a private mission to find out who Tobi really is."

It was silent for a minute; the only sounds were of others talking, slurping of noodles and clinking of utensils. Then Tetane wanted my attention, a sarcastic smile implanted upon her pretty face. She had something going on that involved me somehow. I leaned forward, acting more romantic. "What's the question, Tetane?"

A twitch of her lips turned them upwards. "Deidara, my love… I want an answer to an offer."

I leaned in, too love struck by her appearance and internal strength. "Anything for you. What, hmm?"

She breathed deeply, and I prepared for her question. "Deidara, this is for us. I want you to be in my alliance. You and me. We will be free at last and have what we want without being held captive by the cruel ways of the Akatsuki. Please, for the sake of-"

A burst of the door came through, and she ducked behind the table in a rush. I felt the grab of my robe, and for her, I crawled under.

"What the hell was that for, hmm? You looked like you had a spasm."

Tetane murmured something, and I caught it in a second. "Oh no. They told the Sand Villages… about my kidnapping. Great… another cover story on the illustrious Tetane Mikaze."

I was too in shock about the question, but was even crazier was that this nation had known about our history and which people were in it.

"How do they know?" I had screamed almost at a whisper.

Tetane gave me a mix of a panicked and annoyed look. "The Bingo Book! Crap! Have they got my name enlisted in it too?"

I paused, looking like an idiot. "Funny…I've never read it, hmm."

Tetane was in shock, but almost on the verge of laughing. "You've never read the Bingo Book? Ah, never mind that. Sand AMBU are here… just, you sit up and listen. There's an assembly."

We both got up at the same time, trying not to act suspicious. Thank god no one noticed us from a distance. The group of people that were not under the influence of Tetane was a pair of AMBU scouts and a jonin whose rough, stern face was covered by a part way mask. His headband insignia was enlisted to the Village Hidden in the Sand. These were the people I had to attack for my mission later on.

A member of the AMBU pulled out a piece of paper and read the following message to the controlled peoples.

"Here to me, all citizens of the Sand Nation! We are the lookout for a threatening group of S-Rank criminals listed in the bingo book called the Akatsuki. They are assaulted in murder, kidnapping, torturing, and many other insulting crimes. Be on the lookout for men dressed in black robes with distinctive red clouds, and straw hats. They are inconsiderably dangerous and if you see one in your distance, run away. We will handle them and slaughter them."

I laughed, but covered it up with a fake cough so that it wouldn't act as strange to the group of AMBU. "Mighty words… pathetic," I whispered to Tetane, grinning in advanced victory. "They can try, but we will win every battle, hmm."

She turned to me in complete confusion. "How do they know about the organization? I thought of the gang to be top secret."

"Well, word spreads quickly around these parts… and the one-tailed beast lurks within the village as we speak and knows about my upcoming attack."

Tetane's golden eyes widened, looking like I was staring into two sunset orbs. "Who is he?"

"He's the Kazekage of the Village hidden in the Sand," I replied, still casual about the situation.

Tetane was in a panic. "No, you don't mean… Gaara?"

I gave her a puzzled look, my body language questioning why she was uptight about this plan of the Akatsuki. "Yes, him, correct. He is considered powerful, so I need to take him down first before anyone else. You know him well, I presume, hmm?"

Tetane bit her lip in desperation. "He was the keeper of the sand. I would stay away from him."

She looked on the way to fainting, and her face ran pale. What was the connection with her and this Gaara kid? I acted like it was nothing, and planned ahead for what was at stake for the Shikaku.

"Ah, a long-range fighter. Perfect."

Tetane shushed me. "Be quiet. I need to hear this."

The announcer cleared his breath. "Also, in favor of the Ambu Black Ops, please keep an eye for the Leaf Village resident Tetane Mikaze. She has been taken hostage by them, and maybe dead. If you find her, bring her back alive or not. That is all for today."

Tetane turned to me, eyes bright with victory. "Everything's perfect, Deidara. They think I'm dead. I have time to strike."

"Hmm, a strategy? Sounds good," I replied, already thinking about the future corpses who would appreciate my art and explosions.

"Deidara."

I faced my head to her right. "Hmm?"

"We're setting up the plan, just you and me. Let's escape the Akatsuki once and for all. We have the time, and no one is watching us."

Oh man, here's the bullet. I was under her pressure, and my brain pounded. What the hell was I going to do? I could dodge the bullet, or try and catch it. Oh, my girlfriend won't like this…

"I'm sorry, but this is for the Akatsuki and us…" I murmured, Tetane in a stiff place of shock, felling like I had insulted her. "No, I can't."

"And why the hell not?"

I stood tall. "Because I am loyal to the Akatsuki."

She stared at me with a calm expression, peering into my left eye, Raikugan activated. I closed my eyes, but sadly saw them before I had shut them. Damn it…

I opened my left eye in amazement. Ha! It really worked! All of that training for the battle against Itachi someday, and it happened when the girl of my dreams tried to entrance me with her gen-jutsu eye. Ha! I will never let that down!

When she was into a state of total confusion and surprise, I had thrown the bird from the table onto her leg. It formed, and I made the hand sign that saved the Akatsuki some future trouble. The clay expanded, and stuck onto her like flypaper. I smiled by accident, and Tetane blew the fuse.

"What is this? Deidara… help me out of this before I get really mad."

I explained in victory. "That clay will act as a fast-acting coffin. It will secure your helping body parts, and shut your mouth. Then it will bind you until it reaches the full stage of a coffin. The little breathing air will only make you pass out. Hun, I'm really sorry."

She smiled as I did; opening her Raikugan eyes and taking control of the room full of customers, waiters, and employees. The sand AMBU had recognized that jutsu, and ran out of the restaurant, knowing the girl with the Raikugan. I cursed under my breath, but for better fortune, Tetane's body was covered in my growing white clay. "You son of a bitch…" she murmured before saying her final words to the crowd. "Capture him and free me." Then she had been enclosed within the clay tomb, and she had been buried, left knowingly unconscious.

I grinned in victory, facing the mind slaves, the AMBU, and their back up. My hand dug into the clay, and I chuckled in vision for what I was about to do.

The man with the mask shouted at me. "That was Tetane! Sweet god! She was held captive! Come men? Let's join with her zombies and fight for the sake of alliance with the Hidden Leaf!" He turned to me, seeing my smile, then got frustrated, ready for battle with the others. "Boy! You must be of the Akatsuki! You are under the arrest of the Sand AMBU!"

I grinned more, stretching out my lips in ambition and greed. "Now, now, gentleman. No need to be hasty, hmm. I don't need a riot to start. We're at a private restaurant."

He looked like he was going to explode instead of my art. "You are the man capable of capturing the pride of the Hidden Leaf! Prepare to die, then!"

I looked from the crowd of Tetane's minion's to the Sand AMBU.

"THEN THIS PLACE WILL BE YOUR DEATHBED, HMM!" I said the words loud and clear as the sky could manage as I formed multiple bombs in secret. I was in battle position, ready to throw them any time.

"KATSU!"


	4. Total Surrender

AUTHOR'S NOTICE:

**Sorry about the delay in my story! Writer's block, other stories, stuff outside… (I don't spend my life on Naruto stuff, duh!)**

**Anyways, if anyone gets the chance to read this notice, I appreciate all reviews! Tell me if it sucks, it's good, (you can complain of its too long, I'll try and fix it), or what your favorite parts were.**

**So please, send in your reviews and I will happily accept, probably write back thanking you, and you get a cyber thanks on the next chapters updated!**

**-miragechick2, out!**

04

Tetane's Point of View:

That damned terrorist. He knew he was loyal to the clan that destroyed me long ago. I should have known, and thanks to my little mistake, I have Kisame and hell to pay for. I'm going to enjoy this.

My heart pounded against the hardness of the clay, and according to the likeliness of the estimates of Deidara, I should have been unconscious from the amount of air let through his little chakra coffin. It's too bad that I could still breathe properly and that Deidara was wrong, but he was correct about everything else. My hands were molded in with the clay like cement, my mouth was shut closed so I couldn't talk, and my eyes were covered with the sticky molding of chakra. It was chakra proof, unobtainable, I couldn't make any chakra based jutsu in there, and it could never be broken without a certain type of Deidara's art that could melt the exterior and interior at the same time. I had to give him gratitude towards his skill, but I would still hate him for what he planned to do to me. He set this up for me and twisted my heart. He will die for his consequences against me, and I was guilty that my interior half of my mind was right. I feel awful, and I don't know if anything happened to me, Deidara, the people inside the restaurant under the influence of my Raikugan, or the familiar Sand AMBU. Everything remains a mystery until someone opens that coffin.

Then I landed with a thud on the ground an hour later, and I was being dragged by the created handle of this prison of clay. I couldn't tell where I was, but if it's Deidara who opens the coffin, I will have no hesitation on slaughtering him for my pleasure.

I landed again in the ground of someone's feet, and I heard the most chilling and too familiar of a voice. He was silent, and my captor was quiet as well, but by the tone of the first man's voice, he was amused and laughing in a wheeze from what I did to him in battle.

"Oh wow," Kisame murmured, obviously smirking behind the coffin, "What the hell did you do? Usually your little clay coffins are the sign of a kidnapping, Deidara. How did the date go?"

Damn. Deidara was alive and well. I shook the coffin with my might, trying to signal to Kisame that I was in here, but the blonde had put his hand on the lid in surprising strength.

"I'm tired, well, more like exhausted, hmm," he complained, almost whining.

Kisame tapped on the exterior of my cage for the dead. "Tetane is in there, right?"

The blonde teen sighed, his voice strained falsely with the heavy burden of carrying me. "Sadly, yes. She tried to escape, trying to make contact with the Sand Village…"

Here was something I didn't expect from his reaction to that answer. He slammed his fist onto the coffin in anger, and my body shook with nervousness. The clay prison cracked, but only a little bit, and I could see little rays of golden light come in through the slits of open air. My eyes widened, knowing that I was going to be punished for my escape and relevant actions during the dinner out. It became silent for a few seconds, and Kisame breathed heavily, sighing, thinking this is not what he wanted.

"Hmm. I knew her loyalties were to be questioned. I'm quite disappointed in my slave, how some little mistake can bite her right back in the ass. Well, I need to speak to her. Let her out."

Deidara hesitated when he shook the coffin with his trembling hand. "That's what I'm afraid of, Kisame. I think she's better unconscious, hmm-"

"-She can't fall unconscious," Kisame interrupted, jabbing my prison with his Samehada, "She's probably screaming for bloody murder right now as we speak. Since you are the only access to your clay, you need to let her out."

All I heard from the sounds of the person who held false affections for me hesitated by accident, not intending to look weak in his harsh friend's presence. "I-"

"-Heh. Don't tell me you're afraid of Tetane?" Kisame laughed, mocking Deidara's fright to me and my unstable temper, "Oh, please. She's hostile, but she's under my commands. Just open the coffin so I can calm her down." He took steps to my cradled body, and Deidara quickly stepped in front of it.

"I'm still not on your side after volunteering me for that demonstration at the last assembly."

"Well, not this time," the shark man argued, easily taking the advantage he had, "I'm deadly serious. You have the option of trusting me. Do you want to open the coffin and face the temporary wrath of Tetane Mikaze, or let me fail at opening up your sweetheart?"

I thought of that last statement, and my blood boiled in my anger towards the blonde teenager and my desperation in getting out of the crowded clay deathbed. I pounded against it, trying my hardest to scream, but my mouth was heavily glued to the clay. A trickle of sweat cascaded down my cheekbone and wished for my physical freedom. They both had heard me and my pleading, and Deidara, who I never thought had the bravery and heart to say it, had finally accepted to Kisame. "Fine, fine. Just let me get out my clay and I'll melt it. Its chakra proof and your little sword can't even make a further crack. Watch and learn, my friend."

Kisame chuckled from what I heard, and the munching of chakra clay was heard from the exterior of the cage creation. The blonde artist placed both hands onto my prison, ready to say his words of release, but paused in circumstance. Kisame responded in a sound of confusion.

"And Kisame-"

Kisame looked at him, slightly interested in what he had to say. "Yes, Deidara?"

The young artist breathed slowly, my mind reading his heartbeat and our hearts interlinking our pulses, connecting to each other in a connection of different situations. "I want you to know that I saw through Tetane's eyes of the day you took her heart and killed her."

"Excuse me?"

Deidara continued, no longer threatened. I listened, my heart not evenly breaking in forgiveness. "She had placed me into her past memories using a gen-jutsu of hers, hmm. She was tied up, ready for death to take her in open arms. You showed up, and she started screaming for your blood… you nearly killed her. If only your feelings about the situation compared to hers, then she would have joined without regret. You caused her to fall and resist, hmm. You are the reason her plan to escape happened, hmm. She hates you, and she can't help it. I only brought her for the organization, not for you. I'm sorry, my friend, but you need to be taught the lesson of emotions."

Silence shattered when he finished, and something unexpected happened. My tears calmly escaped my eyes, and then I realized that I was crying in happiness that someone I knew to enjoy had understood. _Deidara, I may have been wrong about you…_

Kisame's reaction was in silence, but stood in shock that the irrelevant, cocky, selfish blonde had stepped up to defend my cause, and had blamed this whole fate for me to Kisame. He said nothing, and thought nothing. Deidara chuckled from where I heard it, and Kisame didn't but I tried to whisper thank you without gagging on clay. Deidara again placed his mouths on the open exterior of the coffin and released chakra onto all sides. The walls and base vibrated blue energy, and everything became looser. My hands had the ability to grasp, my mouth the ability to talk, and my feet not bound anymore to the base. I saw the light of a beautiful day, the sun peaking from the top of the rocky mountain into the grayness of dankness of the cave we all participated in staying in. My eyes opened, and Deidara sighed in recognition that I was awake and well in health. "Tetane," he murmured, breathing sweet breath onto my face. That was where I saw he dropped his ground.

When he had leaned into me too closely, I had the energy to make a fist and aim for his left side. He had seen my reaction, and I had made contact with his skin, the bone, then blood. He went soaring into open air, and landed against the rocky surface of the cave. He spat blood, and got up immediately, sky blue eye widened with supreme shock of why I did that. I rose, eyes narrowed and full of a regained anger towards him and this love/hate relationship.

He came up to me, covering his mouth, blood coming out, coughing up a mouthful of newly fresh scarlet. "What the damned hell was that, Tetane?"

I moved, and Kisame was the gladdest person in the world seeing me come up to Deidara against the wall and pinning him there in full inhuman strength. "You son of a bitch. You little freaking traitor. You had your chance to prove to me that you were in my position of trust, but I made the wrong mistake of relying on you… What have become of the innocent people in the restaurant? And the AMBU, who were only trying to protect their country from the likes of you? ANSWER ME!"

He struggled under my rage, and only responded in a choking gurgle. I loosened my grip around his vulnerable neck, but only slightly so he could breathe more comfortably. He gasped, coughing for air, and took numerous breaths of damp air. My eyes narrowed, impatient for a response from his quivering lips. When I twitched my fingers, he tried to pull my fist from his throat with his fingers, but I wouldn't let him slip past me. Deidara gave up on trying to escape from me, and spoke out of breath and in character. "Those people who were in your control tried to murder me while I took you in hand-"

I squeezed tighter, and Deidara's legs twitched under the pressure of little blood cells in his lower body. "-Liar. They needed to capture you. It was all in line until you foolishly decided to turn your back onto my promise."

"That was never a promise I kept," Deidara murmured, eyes not looking into mine, but onto Kisame, apparently trying to please the witness, "You showed signs of betrayal from the start of your joining, hmm. I really do love you, Tetane, and I want to make you happy with everything I have to ask-"

I interrupted him again, almost squeezing out his lungs with any air. "-Then give me my freedom!"

He relaxed his body, drooping, but he smiled again in response. "Sadly, I cannot. I am bonded to the Akatsuki organization as you are to the troublesome, pathetic leaf villagers you call your friends and family. Why can't you open your eyes, Tetane? Open your eyes to real life." He brought his face to mine, and I stood in fury, crushing his throat so hard that blood came gurgling up and dripping onto the corners of his mouth. "You should be proud. You are to serve here with us forever. Imagine what art we could bring together, and how it could change everything. Forget your memories, your friends, and your village. That's all temporary. You're more than every one of those idiots of people."

That comment broke my loose end. I threw him to the corner, and like planned; he fell unconscious when something snapped in his spine. His eyes would temporarily be closed.

I shook my body in vibration and my fingers twitched from the strain brought upon the young blonde's neck. Nothing moved, shook, or trembled in the cave itself. I breathed heavily, trying to restrain myself from causing any further damage. Kisame's footsteps never made a sound, and I sighed in depression.

"That cocky little idiot," I mumbled, falling off balance and stumbling across a side wall, my hand resting upon it for the sake of my balance, "He blew everything for me. I should have known this was going to happen form him. Heh. How was he so unfortunate of turning his emotions to this hell of an organization? He never understood or paid attention to anything I had to say. What a pathetic excuse for a ninja."

The only witness for this came to me in harsh words. "Blame yourself, slave," Kisame mumbled almost to himself.

My blood rate was at a point of almost boiling. All of these events I had been the victim in, and I had not been the heartless person responsible. And yet, the man who tried to make me his own to control for the sake of the group and himself had blamed me for all of these things happening. I turned my head to Kisame violently, my eyes blazing orange. Kisame never flinched, not even the sour words I spoke made him doubt in his ability to manipulate me. I fully turned my body to the owner of Samehada, growling in extreme displeasure.

"EXCUSE ME?" I had bellowed, almost growled, racing up to him, ready to attack anytime I wanted.

"I didn't mean anything, Tetane."

My master and I turned to the surprisingly conscious Deidara, vomiting less and less blood every time he coughed. I turned to him in pity and fury, and still caring about his vanity and self-pleasure, he fixed a portion of his snarled blonde hair, caught without his ponytail. I saw him at his full hair length and didn't recognize him, but to my pleasure, he appeared more attractive, even in his cut up state. I sighed unintentionally, but I pretended not to. Kisame looked upon me in confusion, but I held my emotions about to Deidara to myself. My soul caught on fire, trying to be my best to be angry at the clay artist.

"Don't give me anything," I retorted fiercely, clutching my knuckles so hard that they turned bone white, "You've had your chances to hold onto yourself to impress me. You're lucky you're breathing right now. Kisame-"

He interrupted me in a signal of a hand, losing his temper with his slave. "I have made up my mind to take you to Itachi. Either shut up or have your brain melted right out of your system. Your choice."

I thought deeply about his threat for second, my eyes staring into space. Itachi was the worst decision I could come up to with my plan to escape quickly. From the likes of things, he was loyal to Akatsuki, and would never hesitate to kill me by his precious Sharingan. That eye had been a different copy of the Raikugan, stolen from the Uchiha Clan in battle, trying their best to steal our eyes for their own. It developed overtime from the process of hereditary genes and times itself, and now the Sharingan serves as a different purpose for the rare Uchiha lifestyle. Some defects had been as punishment by fate for stealing and adapting our clan's renounced eye and the clan is deserving of that. Itachi's eye, uniquely, was different from anyone else's. He could kill me in his gen-jutsu, which will give me no victory and no vanity to myself, the guilt swallowing me up for not resisting my adapted eye from the Uchiha clan. I shook the feeling off violently, and faced Kisame, but with an agreement of the strength Itachi has against me and that he wouldn't are whether I was dead or not. I sighed deeply, and Kisame gave me a confused expression.

"…fine, master. I'll be quiet. Just let me manage myself."

I took the deepest breath, and then let my blood flow relax at a normal rate, trying to be as unstressed as possible. I walked over to Deidara, the blonde chakra artist conscious, but still on the ground in agony. I looked down to him in harshness while he stared up at me in fury and pain, his mouth covered in his own blood.

"Get out now," I warned; anger in my tone, "I know you are afraid of me, so move out of my way or there will be hell to pay." I leaned towards him in my cold expression, and he stood upright, grunting in pain from the impact of my blow on the side of his face, and coughing from the strength I gave out in strangling him. I smirked, not meaning to.

Deidara looked in desperation to his friend and equal. "Kisame." He wanted permission to go.

"Deidara, go," he murmured unemotionally, looking down at the dirt in front of him.

He scrambled to the base of his feet, but I used my transportation of gen-jutsu to come back to him, frightening him in the process. He's got to get to that, or he's not going to survive if any of us gen-jutsu artists fight him. I pulled him back, and to my surprise, he never reacted negatively. He followed my pull, emotions aflame as my breath went down his neck. I smiled on purpose, and sweetly for all that he had done to protect me.

"I heard how you defended my position for the sake of me. I'll continue to love you for that, no matter what loyalty you fall into. You matter a big amount to me, Deidara, and I want you to know that."

I had caught him in a state of shock, and out of my comfort zone, I caressed his face, and leaned in to connect lips. He never expected it, but he enjoyed it, and closed his eyes to enjoy the feeling of two lovers sharing the same feeling. After a few seconds, I let go, and Deidara's eye lit up, and no more blood came out of his mouth. He smiled in his little cocky way, and I laughed on account of my boyfriend. He remembered that he was dismissed by Kisame, so he pulled apart from me, walking in a daze to the door. I sighed, knowing what I had done to heal a severed heart.

Kisame glared at me in inner shock and retorted, growling through the pointy teeth that caused my slave-ship to him now. "You're pathetic. You honestly think that attempt will let you slip away, with the power of seduction? I remember you tried that on me during battle… never worked. You have to realize that it only works with unaware people." He came into me, and I hesitated, narrowing my eyes, deadly serious.

"Don't call me pathetic. I have the power to rip your heart out of-"

"-Over ambition will take you nowhere," he interrupted, walking closer to where I was, "That weakness is why you are here with me."

"Maybe it helps with self-esteem, or it actually might happen. Cross your fingers it doesn't," I came back at him, my fists enclosed tightly.

Kisame stood at a standstill, looking right into my eyes. "You over-dramatic brat. I hope Suigetsu is dead, or you have no hope."

"Oh, now you believe he's dead. Zetsu told us he was alive, if you didn't trigger that microscopic attention span somewhere in the depths of that unused brain."

I knew that little comment broke him mentally and caused him to become unstable with his actions. He frowned, and grew in rage, making me feel smaller than I appeared. He ran to aim for the neck, but punch after punch was blocked by my hands. We stopped for a dramatic second, and then he took out the worst weapon, and the sword that almost destroyed me by sucking out all of my chakra. Samehada faced me, a lifelike appearance, like it wasn't just an object, but a monster was trapped inside. I tensed, and Kisame knew that I was emotionally scarred by Samehada. By his enjoyment and impulse to fight, he charged me, and I snickered, knowing where this was going. I kept dodging swipe after attempted stab, but I managed to keep myself in order. For my sake, the Raikugan was activated, but it couldn't be used in the sights of Kisame's weapon, for it defected the usage of all of my gen-jutsu and my eye. My master saw my red orbs, but never stood down with his Samehada in the air protecting him. I cursed, remembering that, and kept dodging the blade. Kisame looked frustrated with himself, and I continued edging him on, like it was my advantage for all battle.

I figured I would take away his sword to put him under my gen-jutsu, but I knew I could use the needed assistance. My hand signs were flawless as I ran to the wall, and called upon my other kekkei-genkai to rely on. "I want that sword, Master!" I mockingly cried out, grinning in pleasure. He narrowed his beady eyes ready for what I had to prepare. "Tri-Bloodclone No-jutsu!" I screamed to the heavens. Three bodies appeared before Kisame, and the shark man smiled in recognition. "Ah, Tetane, you never grow new on me. You realize that I have faced these clones in battle last time we fought? Of course, you must be clueless to not know that."

I smiled, crossing my arms. "Well, you haven't seen much of anything yet, unfortunately for you."

The three bloodclones were one of two of my kekki-genkai, including the Raikugan. This ability had been passed down by my mother's side in the Village Hidden in the Mist, and was very effective in terms of fighting in tai-jutsu and nin-jutsu. They stood taller than Kisame, and were lucid in the sunlight, the bloodlines visible in blue, and the rest of their bodies in a red water-like substance. They could be male or female, the male being widely shouldered and arms hanging down, and the female showing spikes on the top of her head and long arms. I could make them replicas of me, possessing all of my abilities, even the Raikugan, but they had to be in my direct control. I had switched bodies with everyone, and if they are fatally wounded, I would not be injured, and the bloodclone would still be in its place, forming from the remains of where it was destroyed for my purpose. It was a very advanced technique, but was worst when it came to my chakra flow. I had to keep the maximum usage at one hundred and fifty, and prevent any wastes. They faced Kisame, two males and one female, and he knew he was in trouble for a limited time. I smirked, and started my plan, hiding in the shadows.

My two males had been there for the sake of strength, and the female for sacrifice. She had been the first to attack, each punch and kicks giving pulse to her veins, which by chakra flow, had affected me, and gave me her sight to share into the fight. Kisame looked at me in the bloodclone's eyes, and when the plan had been set, Samehada had sucked her to the last resistance she held. He became confused, not seeing this before, chanting that I come out. I laughed silently, then when he let go of his guard, my two males had pinned Kisame to the ground in brutal strength. He struggled, trying to reach for his sword, but I had appeared before him with a sarcastic smile on my face.

"Kisame, Kisame. You know that I play with more than just one kekki-genkai…" I laughed, and Kisame widened his misty gray eyes, trying to break free from grasp of my clones, then failing, but still holding resistance.

He caught his breath, eyes looking everywhere, very dazed, but furious. "How in hell's depths did you do that without breaking chakra control?"

I snickered in a cocky way and leaned in towards Kisame in victory. "It's the matter of you paying attention. You see, the female had been my main player in the set, and you… well, being yourself, had attacked her and tried to waste her without question. Had my two male bloodclones come for only pinning you down and not fighting and it would be painfully obvious what I was planning. And also, which was the secret to my success; I had combined my two unique and powerful abilities with each other. When you were on the verge of killing my female, you had your sword to the side, thus not having any gen-jutsu resistance." I picked up the sword, not afraid to twirl it in the air. "This piece of weapon is your only force away from my strengths. Without this in range, you were vulnerable. She had implanted a gen-jutsu in your mind with my eyes. To you, she had disappeared without a trace and you had been tackled onto the ground. To me, the dying bloodclone had revived, came back to me, and had seen you in a trance. Then would my males pin you down easily, so you could listen to me right as I speak. It's simple, and if you had kept your Samehada, then the game would have been differently played. Right now, you are capable of being under my influence, and you lay defeated, pinned down by my clones. I thought you knew better, Kisame, and besides, you are the person who had won against me."

He lay frigid on the cold ground, stunned, but not what I expected him to be. He turned his head to me, teeth wide and smile twisted against his cold blue lips. "This isn't surprising to me at all, Tetane. You had me with combining the two abilities, but nothing could be compared to what you did that the beach in Kiri. You have become softer."

My back eased, but my feet were balanced and my mind was set upon what to do with my victim next. "You honestly say that? I don't agree."

He faced me on the ground, smirking temporarily. "I do."

I didn't know what in hell happened, but he had freed himself from the grasp of my bloodclones, and had picked up his sword in escape. I froze frigid, seeing my clones in horror. There was water mixed into the blood of the clones, and had made them deformed and coming my way, their bloodstream translucent and more blue than anything else. Kisame laughed, and grabbed Samehada, launching his success into action against his opponent. My kekki-genkai had melted, pushed into a puddle of water below my feet, and before I felt it, the pressure of Samehada was upon my neck against the wall with its beholder laughing like I had before. My reaction was something of shock and incredibility, not knowing how he preformed this action without using any hand signs.

"Your bloodclones are something, all right. They just needed to be adjusted from where they were. If I need to explain this to you in depth, I will. In the beginning, I planned this out as you spoke; your bloodclones had made contact with my skin. My skin released water from the hand signs I never had to make in order to do that. I realized that blood was made from mostly water, and that too much of it would cause it to deform and evaporate. They were affected and changed, and as time went on, they couldn't be controlled by you anymore. I was freed when the two bloodclones didn't have the strength to continue, and evaporated from all water they had, causing them to disappear and not come for your advantage. My temper, your shock, and Samehada finished the rest, and now I have you by your neck onto this wall. Funny how that works, huh?" He laughed on account of me, and I knew I was defeated. I struggled and gasped for air, like Deidara had done when I strangled him, but Kisame had started digging his sword onto my throat. Then we started hating each other again for what happened on battle and off. I shook furiously, remembering that he was my current arch enemy, and Kisame, sharing my emotions, had come up close to my face and put both hands onto the opposite edges of his sword, making sure I wouldn't escape from his grasp. Then his sword started vibrating, enjoying the fresh chakra in my system, eating it until it was dried from my bones. It started throbbing in my veins, and Kisame smiled evilly and continued looking at the weakness approaching in my expression.

"I may want you alive for certain reasons," He stated hungrily, breathing down my vulnerable neck, "but I will kill you if I lose my temper. Samehada will enjoy the taste of empty chakra when feeding off of your dead body. Get it?"

I didn't know what to do. He was going to kill me without question if he sensed one little movement of betrayal from the Akatsuki or himself. My stare glazed over, and my conscious faced me again. She was facing me, impatient and strict, golden eyes blazing.

"How can you handle this?" I yelled to her, fists tightened with rage about the situation in front of me. "We can't fight him! He beat us, kidnapped us, and cursed us! We follow the Akatsuki's orders. THE AKATSUKI'S! Shouldn't we show at least some resistance? I want to escape and live!"

Tetane laughed coolly, and for the first time I've seen her in my mind, she was wearing an Akatsuki cloak, crossing her arms and grinning crookedly. Suddenly forms of ghosts appeared by her sides, two men cloaked as her, one with dark hair and the Sharingan, and one with brutally built muscles and blue tints on his skin. Oh no.

"In order to slaughter them," she stated, never sarcastic about her response to my questioning, "we need to think like them. Behave like them. Act like them…" She came up to me with her two spiritual partners and placed her hand on my shoulder, "…and be them."

I shook off her hand and her penetrating glare. "That's not what I plan to do. My heart belongs to the people in Konaha-"

"-and for right now, your mind will be focused on the Akatsuki. You want to create trust within, and when the time is right for each one of them…" Tetane had taken out two twin blades and swiped at the ghostly images of Itachi and Kisame, those men disappearing out of my mind in an instant, leaving a ghost trail behind, "…kill them."

I blinked in confusion, the message not fully receiving my ears. But when I finally caught on, an evil grin spread slowly on my face, and then unexpected laughter escaped my throat. Tetane smiled similarly to me, crossing her arms with those long sleeves on the Akatsuki robe. She cleared her throat, so I had no choice but to hear what she had to say. "Listen, you have to become one of them for a temporary time until you have to make the decision to make your move. You have to give up everything… even your family and friends… even the kyuubi jinchuuriri… Naruto."

My eyes widened, and my heart started pumping more under the pressure of doing that. Will I ever meet him in the future with my two partners and try to capture him? I'll kill myself before I betray the village… but that's what the heartless criminals of the Akatsuki had done. My head pounded, and the emotionless Tetane had noticed me trying to recover.

"I know, I know, this will be extremely hard forgetting about the precious souls of our friends and only family. It will have to require patience and will create a lot of time, but in the end, when a pool of blood and a death scent follows each member… it will be worth a few lives. Imagine if you let them go and decide to not wait. They will kill so many more people, and as powerful as you are, you can't cheat death from others and yourself. This is what makes it better for all. You can kill convincingly, but not for real…well, if you ever approach and come to visit your village. For the Jinchuuriki… we can't stop them, but we have a goal… to kill all before Naruto is extracted from the kyuubi."

My eyes narrowed, and she nodded slightly, smiling sarcastically. I knew I couldn't stop my step-brother from the hands of the organization, but to my fortune, he would be placed last for extractions. I need to kill off the organization, but in order to destroy it; the main target in the mentality would be Pein, Leader of Akatsuki….

The emotional target would be Kisame…

And then by the end, everything will be at peace within the five great nations…

I smiled while my conscious left me in my mind. I knew what to finally do.

Kisame slammed my head onto the filthy walls of the rocky cave, angry with the fact I had not paid any attention to him and that I'd devised my plan for the future while spacing out from him. He growled to himself, still grasping my neck with his Samehada, choking out the rest of my chakra. I felt my legs weakening, and my arms had trembled. My eyelids fluttered, trying to fight the urge to fall into unconsciousness, and Kisame noticed that, not trying to lull me to sleep. He brought his face closer to mine, and I looked up, noticing his shadow on my face. I looked him square in his face, eyes meeting. They were as ghostly as ever, but his expression changed, like warmth came from him, something of sympathy. Was he caring for me as I stood helpless in his grasp? Did he understand me? No, that's not possible. He did so much for his selfishness, and never cared for my self-being. He was in Akatsuki for himself, and used force to get me here for greed. I narrowed my eyes, but they widened as I realized what to act upon. He squeezed on me tighter, strangling me not only physically. I couldn't breathe, and darkness tried to consume me, but I held on by a thread. I stared at him again, not sure what I was actually seeing from him.

He was seriously scaring me, well, him being the one holding me to a wall, sucking out all of my chakra. He held no vulnerability, for I could not manipulate him with my Raikugan, and with the weakness I had in me, I had no way in escaping. When I checked again, I saw fury in those unemotional, beady, mist colored eyes, and I believe it when I see it. He breathed deeply like he was a bomb about to go off, and his unbelievably strong muscles became more flexed around my already scarred neck. I have to do what he says… until I come up with a plan to kill everyone in this hellhole. I just have to stay on his good side, as what I had been planning and had created. Goodbye, sanity. I'm going to be a villain for the time being. Goodbye, Naruto, Kakashi, Team Gai, and all of my loving people. I'll be waiting for the chance of forever peace and no more conflict. I'll be working in privacy, but I need the mind of a murderous genius. Forgive me, everyone, but I'm transferring to the darkness for the life of our nations, and the world. Wish me fortune in villainy.

Kisame growled again, slightly confused on why I wasn't retorting to every attack he sent to control me. "Respond if you don't want that precious neck broken to pieces."

I finally let go of reality in a phrase I needed to mutter to change myself. "I surrender to you, master," I muttered weakly, giving completely. My last thoughts of resistance were terminated, and my memories and happy moments with the people in Konaha were gone from mentality. The coursing irregular chakra in my body took over, and I allowed it access to my brain. I was now officially the companion, partner, prisoner, and ally of the Monster of the Mist.

At first, he didn't understand. Then he realized that I wasn't insulting him back on his brutal behavior, with the way I had said his position clearly and with loyalty dripping in my tone of surrender. Kisame apparently thought this as a cruel joke, and snapped a part of my neck. I screamed, but this time, not for his blood. He grasped onto my mark, which became a light blue from the darkness of my own shadow, and looked up at me in insulting disbelief.

"What trickery are you playing on me?" the shark man shouted, purple fingernails digging into the skin, causing blood to ooze out slowly with how deep he strained, "Is this a scam, an intervention for freedom? Tetane, you will never have my trust."

My pleads rang out form the echoes of the cave itself. "You're killing me… please! Don't, please-"

"-Little pieces of shit like you never treat anyone the respect they need," he responded, lifting me up away from the ground, looking at my face in dignity and leadership. "This is pure mockery, calling me your master." He laughed, wheezing, covering his cough. He snickered back at me, a playful smile on his blue lips. "Heh. You sound like you need help, let me help you."

I came off the wall, his strong hand gripping me by the throat in open air. He let go of his sword, placing it right beside him, and obeying myself, I remained silent and innocent, acting like I had done nothing wrong. I hung on his fingers like a rag doll, and by his fury, the combination of gravity and his power made me collapse on the ground, ripping up skin like paper. My knees were unstable for me to stand, so I had collapsed, drained of chakra and energy. My eyes stared unemotionally at the ground in front of me, and then Kisame's steps came within my eyesight. I could tell he was humiliating me of my performance, still thinking I was resisting him with my full strength. The answer was that he was wrong about my loyalties.

My hands grasped onto the ground, digging for dirt, but Kisame' with the kick of his foot, had made me lay on the cold ground in utter defeat permanently. He laughed, but I could tell by his tone he was deadly serious about what he wanted to do. He picked up his Samehada, and walked towards me in total amusement. I growled, showing that I had some power in me.

"Get up, Tetane, the legendary gen-jutsu kinochi of the Hidden Leaf. I want you to say my name."

I did what he said, the command crawling up my spine and into my mind freely. "Kisame… Kisame!" My screams were symphony to his ears. He grinned.

"Ah, that scream reassures me. Say it again, only more respectful."

The wide point of Samehada dug into my stomach with only some of his strength, and that alone would crush my bones. This force was too much to handle, and usually I would resist, but almost all of my chakra had been eaten away freely by my choice to accept his loyalty. He never understood, by the way he started digging his signature weapon on my center, his wanting clearly not fulfilled until he got what he selfishly wanted. The pain increased, and my pleads sounded until it echoed in fright through the cave.

"Ahhhhhh! Stop it! Please! Kisame! KISAME!" 

The pressure of Samehada dropped decreasingly low, and came to the spot of resting on my stomach. The wielder above looked pitifully at me, mocking my truth with his words. "That wasn't so hard to do, was it?" he yelled, lifting his sword up in open air, "I provide no mercy. There are three tortures for what you did to me. One, for challenging me for the benefit of your own selfishness…"

The combination of gravity and force brought me to the result of pain and agony. The bottom of the sword, on the strips of cotton, held the warm blood that little by little came out of my increasingly worsening wound. My hands tried to fist up into the ground, my body wanting badly to stand up for myself, but the commanding voice form Kisame wouldn't let me resist any of this madness. My arms trembled as I reached to grasp the end of the dreaded Samehada. My teeth grinded together, and more digging continued as I continued struggling. I looked up at my master, his expression emotionless, though his words meant much more than what he appeared to be. He coughed, continuing, and ignored the nature of my voice, screaming into the vast and unheard heavens.

"Two, for temporarily taking away the privilege of my hand…" the sword wielder murmured, almost to himself, taking his signature weapon and pressing down even harder, just to make me forget about everything I had loved, to forget about m village, my home. I desired too much to explain that I was in his servitude for as long as I was needed temporarily, but the blood coming up my throat affected my translation. I gurgled, and breathed harder than I ever had. From the form of the shredded cotton strips came the interior of Samehada, dark, dull blue spikes stabbing my insides. He saw the real blood, and had the patience to deliver his last lesson to me in the form of punishment. Kisame yelled it out this time, giving into staying emotionally silent, anger burning from where I felt my inner organs start to collapse and rebuild. Thank fate for my life-saving jutsu. Orochimaru's testing's of his improvisational experiments may have destroyed many, but it had worked for his favored apprentice. Kisame knew this, and would be less harsh with me if I had not possessed this type of irregular, manmade blood and body type. I pleaded more, semi-pretending to be in full pain.

"NO! STOP!" I yowled, growling through my clenched teeth.

I pause came into the atmosphere, and Kisame stood ready for his last reason to torture me without patience. "And three… for disobeying me and insulting my whole!"

He sent full force, and this time, everything was numb. I didn't really feel anything irregular, but the whole world spun with the force of speed. The corners of my eyes faded into the blackness, and Kisame eventually stopped, seeing me not twitch anymore. He knew I hadn't died, but I had the information that he cared about my self-being, for training me and having me present for the likes of the organization. My eyes started to close unintentionally, and I felt Kisame's arms around my torso, lifting me off of the dirty ground in slow motion. My breath left me, and I lay in coldness, being almost drifted into the chilling arms of my former enemy.

. . .

My head spun again as my conscious began to recall itself. My surroundings were in comfort, in a sheet on a bed, somehow. A pillow was fluffed up against the former gashes on the side of my head, and my blonde hair collapsed in front of me, tickling my nose, probably the reason I had awoken from what seemed to become forever. The tempting scents of green leaf tea and blossoms drifted into whatever room I was put into. I became drowsy, but curious, opening my eyes, softly and comfortably.

The room was bleak, but not too bleak. My bed was covered with white and black sheets, and the exterior was made from the finest wood found anywhere within a hundred mile radius of here. The rain from the window brought in a slight draft, but it was humid, like a tropical rainstorm. The silk curtains blew from the effects of the entering breeze, and in the corner hung my robe, my traveling hat, and shoes. I peered down slowly at my feet, not rushing my time at all. They felt sore, but not at all scraped, unlike the rest of my body. I was wrapped at my stomach in numerous rolls of cotton bandages, and on my arm. The rest of my apparel was consisting of my uniform from the battle, the person who planned for my safety knowing that those were my only clothes. I sighed, straightening m posture. Taking a quick yawn, I checked the wound on my center. _Thank fortune, it was all right, nothing was there._

A knock on the door sounded from the left side. "Yes, come in," I almost mumbled, my voice croaking from soreness.

The entrance creaked slowly, and a foot made its way into my room, then the body, then the head itself. Itachi Uchiha was here, narrowing his onyx eyes in my disposition. He drifted over to me, and while I was still in ultimate shock, one for him caring about me, and two for my affection towards the similar gen-jutsu artist. He bent; fixing his night colored bangs framing from the figure of his handsome face, and stood, unemotionally. That wasn't a big difference from when I saw him last time.

"Tetane, Tetane," he murmured, shaking his head lightly, "Can't you ever stop resisting?"

At first I stood at a standstill, blinking, seeing if I was still dreaming or this happened to be real life, but after I snapped myself out of my uncomfortable feelings of the Uchiha murderer, ready to answer and not embarrass myself. "That's funny… you asked me that last time you spoke to me."

He gave some sort of muffled laughter, trying not to show his expression in the sight of another person. He leaned against my bed, giving me a bored stare, waiting for me to say something. I needed to think of something intelligent to reach his rankings, but my plans probably won't work for his standards. Then an unanswered question appeared before me, waiting to be solved.

"Itachi," I spoke. He lifted his head, those piercing eyes glaring at me. I shuddered. He looked and acted so much like his brother I was in awe that they were in mortal combat. I don't understand why I truly love both of them when I liked them so little in personality. "What did you do to me during that time I was out for three days? Was I your little puppet, there for the enjoyment of your satisfaction that you had mentally torn me, or is it that you needed my help for any specific matters?" My bravado of speaking to the gen-jutsu prodigy was a failure.

Itachi Uchiha never twitched with any anger, but only gave me a softening look of sympathy and peace. "Well, this is irrelevant to discuss, which you probably know the main details from that insolence Deidara-"

"Deidara is not an insolence," I muttered, trying to keep myself and my emotions even and stable, "he tells me the truth, unlike you. You hide the fact that you killed your family for more than a proof to test the maximum of your abilities. Sasuke has told me about your history."

"Heh," he paused, looking blankly at his fingers, "he's an insolence as well. I only saved him because he was a coward, trying to run away from what I desired the most… an opportunity. He told you lies, and will betray you in the end, throwing your innocence out onto the vast loneliness. You know absolutely nothing about my younger brother."

I blinked rapidly, having incredibility of what he spoke of Sasuke, but I couldn't help but agree with the mass murderer leaning casually on the side of my bed. "Yes, it's probably true. I never knew him well enough to relate to him, in fact, I loved him for a time, when I was younger and more stupid." I swatted myself on the head. "Now I've learned that true love is a distraction. I now hate him for betraying the village and following in the footsteps of my former master. You always prove me wrong, Itachi Uchiha."

The handsome Uchiha sighed quietly to himself, making himself appear older than he actually looked. "Sasuke is another matter to discuss, and this relationship between you and us is non-existent. Now, I'll tell of what actions I made you perform during the time you were under the influence of the Sharingan."

There was a slight pause in the atmosphere, and the warm breeze from the effects of the rain drifted into my room. He began with a preface.

"Now, I liked your improvisation of what you showed your affectionate Deidara at the restaurant a few days ago," Itachi started, staring blankly at the cold wooden ground, "you are very talented with your eye. 'The Pride of the Konahagakure' fits very well with your stature. But, you haven't seen the experience as I have. I want you to see what happened that night, and stay away from the ghosts of the memories that I show you."

I nodded, my eyes widening. _He knows how to perform this technique as well as I do._

My eyes glued onto his, ready for my curiosity to erase. He glanced to me, his eyes in the position of the Mangekyo Sharingan, the dull red combining with the shape of a shuriken to make his own unique eye. The surroundings around me faded in an instant, and the next time I blinked, I was facing myself, bloody and vulnerable in the corner of the meeting room. Someone coughed lightly right next to me, and it was Itachi himself, not the memory, but the one who had shown me reason.

"This was right before you passed out because of me. I advise you to pay attention, Tetane. This might become your own benefit."

I glanced at the Uchiha, narrowing my eyes, nodding gruffly. I came down to myself, my body surrounded by the remains I had spilt in front of the entire organization. I was weak, almost as Sasori himself had said before, that I looked like someone about to snap all of their bones and collapse. I appeared thin, almost too thin. My blonde hair was placed in strands all over my head, but the point where I had continued to be proud of myself were in my eyes. The light never would stop shinning, no matter what form or what type of situation fate had placed me into. My uniform from when I fought, was bitten, I hid, and was captured once again was covered in scarlet and dirt.

The memory of Itachi stiffened in his attack against me. My eyes narrowed, saddening to say that it was the Akatsuki member who was my equal who gave the last stand against my pitiful resistance. He never looked down at my reaction, and was soaked into this, scarlet eyes transfixed onto the scene. We both saw ourselves aligned, Itachi lifting his gentle fingers onto my bloody chin in pity. The other Akatsuki members grinned, even the Leader, who consciously knew that this riot was interfering with his plans. I heard the echo of his words, and I struggled with him. I answered proudly, and I smiled, getting the feeling of warmth inside that I wouldn't give up anymore. Itachi's ghost shone his accursed Sharingan to mine, and once I gave out, my memory's neck slumped over in forced defeat.

I breathed like the life was forced out of me, and I clutched my fists into balls of white, purple at the tints. The gen-jutsu murderer beside me shook his head, eyes still onto the rewind that was what happened when I was unconscious. I came back to the scene again, only finding myself in outrage. Pain had stood silently, and walked over to me, my neck in hand, and the leader observing my physical details. The memory Itachi stood away, silent, Sharingan deactivated, eyes never leaving my face. Pain had rose, arms wide in the air.

"I would like to sincerely thank all of you here in this moment of triumph," he stated loudly, "We have captured the key to our success in Akatsuki."

"OY!" Hidan, one of the two in the Zombie Combo, stepped up to Pain, scythe at hand. "What the hell do we do with the bitch? She's looks like a shit load of trouble…"

Pain ceased Hidan's talking with raising one of his hands to stop him. "Tetane Mikaze can make an important member for the benefit of all of us. She has two gekki-kenkai: the usage of bloodclones, and the legendary Raikugan. Also, with her father's teleportation and now the amount of chakra she possesses from the passing by Kisame, she'll be more powerful than most of us."

My eyes widened as Itachi half smiled and nodded to my knowledge.

"Yes, it's true," the Uchiha turned to me, "You have all of that power inside you, and you never have realized it. Your two unique abilities, your father's hereditary technique, and the fact that even though you even bonded to Kisame, you have the advantage, and… you have the power to kill him."

I stared at him in incredibility. I have the ability to kill the person that devastated me. This is insane. Insanity. It will be probable when hell freezes over.

"Now be quiet, Tetane," he murmured, watching the display before us in an instant, "There's a lot more information to be hinted in here."

Pain turned to the figure of Itachi, curious about something. "Itachi, secure her. We must hold her in her place until we see no resistance. She needs to be here, totally in control."

Itachi looked at Tetane, something burning in his dark, deep eyes. Was it hurt? No, it couldn't be. That would be impossible; Itachi was not to be trusted or to be connected with anyone. Maybe, by a small, inapplicable chance that he may have the same feelings for me. I wanted desperately to see the real Itachi's reaction to all of this, but he stood rigid, stone cold, just like his murderous heart. There was no question that he only desired nothing of me.

Itachi came up to Tetane; hand signs formed ahead of time, and spoke in a harsh tone, murmuring it almost to himself. "You're in my control, Tetane. Please stand and come with me silently."

I stood in horror as I watched myself get off the ground, trembling, fighting the feeling of pain, but my face was still emotionless. I came up like a newly freed puppet whose strings have been cut loose. My eyes were open, but I gasped at a surprising feature. The eye specifics and the color were of those of the Sharingan, the same form as Itachi's. Kisame came next to him, smirking at his victory and the way I had acted against this technique.

"Itachi… I thought if you used hypnosis against an opponent, their eyes wouldn't look like that. Animals, maybe, but not real people."

Itachi turned, facing his partner in once in a while emotion. "Never have I seen this in my life before. If I'm correct, she's resisting right now. The shape of the victor's eye when in affect pulses into the central brain and then takes over the entire body. She's trying unconsciously to take the gen-jutsu chakra from her mentality and reverse it from the inside out. The copy of my eye is transferred onto her irises, and by her success so far, she's fifty percent out of my gen-jutsu control. I give this one credit… she's better than I thought, and when Tetane shows, she really means the truth of her words… she's fighting it with barely an ounce of chakra left in her body."

Murmurs spread through the crowd. I smiled sarcastically, as Tetane trembled, and tried so hard to pull back from Itachi's resistance, but to my misfortune, she followed Itachi willingly, and the Leader never moved a muscle. He seemed fascinated by all of this.

"Tetane Mikaze, again, are you willing to sacrifice your life this organization, trying to capture all nine tailed beasts in your maximum power?"

My minutes ticked away in silence as my memory, looking almost miserably at the crowd with those Sharingan eyes, had breathed away her last strip of a happy life and resistance. "Yes, Leader."

"And what is your reason for coming here?"

My heart pounded almost out of my heaving chest, pulled apart by pressure and curiosity. I knew every Akatsuki had gone through this procedure and had listed why. For this part, Itachi never knew my true answer. I wondered intensely what I would respond to that difficult question. Kisame grinned in the back, and my blank face cringed. I breathed. I was there somewhere.

"Answer his question of the first thing that comes to your mind," Itachi mumbled over to Tetane, nodding his head in surety.

I saw myself bow to Itachi, no question to his order. "Yes, master," I murmured, but to my pleasure, it was partly stated in my original sarcastic tone. Itachi narrowed his eye, then cursed, spitting onto the ground. Kisame kept smiling like he always did, waiting for me to answer Pain's question.

"My reason is of force. Force is why I am here, for all of the good of this organization."

Force. A powerful word, yet so unused all of the time. I use force for my self-pleasure, necessities, and revenge. Never have I fully given into force. I was force, until when I gave myself up forever in the darkness of the Akatsuki. Force. I can't use that word regularly anymore.

"Tetane Mikaze of the Hidden Leaf, I pronounce you to the Akatsuki organization. This is where you will make sacrifices, have chances no other person will ever have, and make the day that the world will be reborn from its ashes with your help. You will be paired momentarily with Itachi and Kisame, making an uneven three members on a squad, but you will take the position of Orochimaru for the extractions of all Jinchuuriki. All of you; do not harm her at any moment, and I advise specific members. Kisame and Itachi are held as responsible to her, and I trust in both of you that she will not escape from all costs, or serious consequences will come about… Tetane Mikaze, welcome into the organization of the most dangerous S-Rank criminals, the Dawnbreak."

Pain had talked to me like I was conscious, and clearly from the glazed red glare I gave back at Pain had changed his viewpoint. I knew that he had appreciated and acknowledged my decision to join, no matter what state of reaction I was responding to. The Leader knew somehow that I was a key player to his pawns, and anyways of escape, or of the worst thing I would do to his organization, he would still keep me alive for the benefit of himself and his organization. I was the only one in the current generation who possessed this eye, and for my situation right now, it stood as my advantage for my life-risking goal. Overall, he was satisfied, and knew that I would give in.

The whole organization of missing Nin gave into silence as soon as Pain had spoken with his booming, commanding voice that could calm even the harshest winds to nothing more than a gentle breeze. None spoke a word for a peaceful moment, and as that happened, I examined everyone's reactions.

Deidara, the hole in my heart, hadn't smiled like he always did; but instead, he stood stiffly, almost like his feet were frozen in snow. His eye never left mine on the stands, and saw immediately that I had given into the Sharingan, like he had the day he joined. Suddenly in my brain, something had connected.

My heart pounded fiercely, finally realizing the chilling connection we had together as two slaves to the burden of the Akatsuki organization. We had both rebelled and became too over ambitious over the battles we both endured, which in fact included the triumphant Itachi Uchiha. We were both forced here to this gang, and by the command of Itachi Uchiha and his cruelly mesmerizing eye, we joined without knowing it days later. I looked again at the blonde chakra artist, but in a different view point. My heart throbbed, my stomach almost dropped into weight like stones, and my palms trembled. His beautiful blue eye stared at me standing in the stance of command, and his fists enclosed tightly together, seeing the pain that was Deidara's déjà vu with the way events were happening. He cared for me… and the funny thing now is… I care for him the same way. I had, for the first time in reality, fallen in love with him.

Hidan and Kakuzu, what Kisame referred to as the Zombie Combo, had taken advantage of everything. Hidan smiled, eyes locked onto my entranced ones, and stood straight, whispering to Kakuzu. "Now the bitch is ours, and there's nothing the beautiful angel can do. She'll be the perfect sacrifice for Jashin, and I'll be the most praised person in this whole fucked up world."

Kakuzu spun around, giving him the biggest death glare I've probably ever seen. I flinched, and Itachi beside me took note of that and continued watching, like he had never seen this scene before in his life. "You don't understand the concept, you psychotic perverted idiot. She's not for any of your stupid business, and this group can benefit greatly. More money will be made with her in the Akatsuki, and that's good for me. Either shut up and do as the Leader says, or your insides will boil from what tortures I will set up for you… got that?"

Hidan came from behind his back and touched the handle of his tri-scythe and Kakuzu still watched him from the corner of his lifeless eye. "Cheap bastard," the immortal murmured impatiently, clutching onto the pendant around his neck. Kakuzu fixed his gaze onto me, narrowing his eyes. His cheekbones rose of the state I was in, indicating that he was smiling about this particular situation.

Tobi was standing close to his maniacal ally Zetsu in a stance of surprise. "Hey! Zetsu-san! She joins and I can't? I don't take this as fair!"

Zetsu interrupted him, the darker side of his face glaring, annoyed by him, and his white side making way to my unemotional face. "Tobi, keep yourself in order. We don't need your personality at a time like this," the spy noted, a hand stopping Tobi from committing any other pointless actions. "She's beautiful for us, you know," his white side gave out, "With no soul, and a little manipulation, this world will be ours by the time the sun rises from the standpoint of the moon."

Tobi finally relaxed, scratching his head in disappointment. Zetsu rolled his lamp-like eyes like he had gotten extremely used to his childish behavior. I shook my head, confused about this so called Tobi. Was he a member? Was he really this immature?

My eyes transitioned onto Sasori, the old hunched wooden man, and by the comments he had given out, he was superior to me even now. He told about my disadvantages, the fact that he had said Orochimaru's name out of a mixture of respect and hate, and his insults. Next time I would have to meet him, I will prove him wrong, and earn my way to a higher position than this over-conscious old man. I knew he was relieved, but he hid his emotions from the blood veins covering his small eyes.

Itachi stood as emotionless as usual, but it wasn't him I wasn't upset about. It was the blue skinned, muscular man next to him, glaring at me with victory actually shinning from his dull grey beady eyes. His smile showed several sharp teeth, and he looked down on the ground, clutching the missing part of his arm, grunting in final success. His work was done for the momentary time, and I failed at doing what I wanted to accomplish. "Finally," he murmured, a hint of gratitude hidden somewhere in his tone.

Suddenly, when the shark man wasn't noticing, the cannibalistic Zetsu came up behind him, speaking bleakly, like he was at a funeral, mourning in sympathy to his friend and comrade.

"You know there's more to the events that will become essential to our organization, to your advantage, disadvantage, her death… and yours," White Zetsu pointed out so matter-of-factly, acting like Kisame was totally oblivious to what he was talking about.

"What is it that I don't get?" Kisame turned, facing Zetsu in harsh words, clearly insulted that he was being played with by the spy, "Tetane is secured, and will live as long as I'm alive. She's mine to control, Zetsu, and I would enjoy that you back off from the subject."

"But you've clearly forgotten about the curse of the no-tailed Jinchuuriki chakra boiling in her veins, haven't you, Kisame Hoshigaki?"

My master's eyes widened trying to respond to this mutant's impacting question. He stood shaking with incredulity, not believing this to happen. Zetsu crept behind and smiled despicably. "You remember the entire torturous burden that your former deceased master, Tetsu, had to suffer before he found you as the perfect victim. He needed to get rid of his disease; only passed down one to every two victims of this extra chakra, or every other. Now that you had no contractions or symptoms, she's as good as dead…"

Kisame shook in fright, his furious expression in the shadows. "No, that's not possible…"

Black Zetsu growled in a low key. "…and when she dies, then you die along beside her, sharing one grave. That's the affect on you."

I shook my head, not believing what I heard from the mouths of the official Akatsuki spy. This was impossible, improbable. This disease is contracted from the passing of the mark, and whoever bares it and has fully connected with their next victim had shared in the burden. If the current generation suddenly died, as punishment, the spreader of this chakra would be killed within days. But if the spreader died and the victim would still remain breathing and alive, that specific person could see the light of another day if he or she would spread the extra chakra from their body. This was my chance. If Kisame was murdered, then I would live without him. If I was killed in cold blood, my master would be dragged down to hell as well.

I smiled evilly, finally knowing the panic Kisame was tied into with me. I could have the slightest chance of winning the long war we have had since day one. I'll wait to strike, and if I succeed within the time to give away my extra chakra, my ambitions will be fulfilled in time for Konahagakure to accept me as their heroine. I could see it as clear as day. I could feel it in the grip of my fist. I'll soon have won.

Itachi, who had grunted beside me, wanted me to get his attention. "And this is where we leave off."

All had faded around me, transitioning into the background. My head pounded, and my mentality came back to reality, with Itachi Uchiha looking blankly down at me. I saw the bandaged wound on my stomach, and the uniform I was put in gave off an odor of blood. I clutched my head in desperation from all of this information.

"This is what you've shown me then, that was the real scene when I was in your control," I gagged, disappointed internally. "I've no soul to surrender, and you show me these images like I needed to see them with my own eyes. Why?"

Itachi sighed, a deep breath, his red Sharingan eyes disappearing into the darkness of his original irises. "You wanted the self-esteem boost, didn't you? And you were curious."

I paused, slouched onto the pillow on my sore back. My eyes stared blankly at the floor, and then came up to this god in human form. Then it hit me like a rusty knife at my side. My blood boiled, and my brain pounded inside my bruised head. "Are you trying to help me?"

Itachi stood up slowly, taking his time, and drifted to the other side of the room. He turned his neck to me, and stood emotionless. "Why would I help you?" he questioned calmly, "You are bound here now, and I have turned my back against the Konahagakure society. Now that we have our chances with your abduction and force, we're stronger than ever before. And to add on, no one thinks you're alive and have the chance to switch alliances… so why would I help you?"

I glared down at my wound, breathing heavily with upset. "Because you care… somewhere… and you're not extremely heartless. You drop hints like bombs, and you gave away something that could be to my advantage."

He sighed quietly, and I glared at him, trying to break this internal shell of his. Then he perked his head to the door tiredly. "Kisame's here."

I slammed my head onto my palm, hoping to recover from what he tore from the skin on my stomach and the fact that he caused me a pounding headache. "Tell him to leave me the hell alone… and don't get off topic. I'm still in suspicion of your loyalties, Uchiha."

My words turned into a transition for the gen-jutsu artist, and with that last statement about him, Itachi dissolved within the room, dull red eyes burning into mine until they faded softly into the background. He was always a mystery to me, that man, but my love to him had clearly blinded me from his real heartless behavior. I knew inside that the murderer wanted me free from this place, and that he had the necessity of taking the situation to my advantage. But the reason why… remains a mystery. I clutched my head in misery, cringing from the pain in my head; feeling like the migraine was splitting my head open by bone. A creak slowly crept in my ears, and I moaned when Itachi spoke the truth.

The man walked inside my dormitory, head cocked a little to the side, interesting in this scene he was participated in with his slave. He came to me in rhythm of his footsteps and stopped at the side of my bed, feet frozen at what he was staring blindly at.

"Tetane, what have you gotten yourself into?"

I looked up at Kisame, full Raikugan activated, blood veins surrounding the perimeter of my eyes. "Too much… especially from dealing with you for so long."

His laugh sounded from the echoes of the corners of my bedroom, the demon mocking me in a way I cannot describe. He sat casually on the edge of my bed, smirking, looking up at the window in a happy mood. I glared at him, furious with the way he had treated me now, but my sighs gave out. "What are you doing here, Kisame? I thought you wanted nothing of me."

His beady eyes locked onto mine, not caring of the fact that I threatened him with something that is defective against him and his possession. "My little apprentice has to heal sometime, you know. Besides, this should be minor to you, this is the highlight of pain, and you haven't even felt the true torture of the curse mark chakra boiling in your irregular system… now, let me see that injury of yours."

Again, the command had traveled creakingly along the central spine, then my brain, taking in everything he said. I glanced at my stomach, and I lifted up the layers of cotton sheets that caressed my body. A bandage lay there, covering my ribs to my torso. I unraveled my recovery strips, and what lay between the hip and the heart was a scar of giant proportions, the size as the bottom of Samehada. I remember the smoldering memories of that sword digging itself with huge teeth bearing into my flesh, blood pouring from the corners of its mouth in greed, asking for more from its master. I shuddered, pulling up more covers onto the protected areas of my body. Kisame narrowed his eyes.

"I made have overdone myself there, huh?" he asked, sighing, "I never say this, and I'll probably never speak these words again, but for mine and your sake, thank Orochimaru and his improvisation."

Those chemicals and manmade blood that stir in my veins had saved my life probably about one hundred times. I had to silently thank my former master as well. It was accidental, improvisational, and hopeless when Orochimaru took me into his lab and tested on me, the pain over swelling my entire body, not even caring about the fact I was still awake and breathing. It ended in three long days, and something changed. The air I breathed in was different, and I could always feel my heart pumping my new blood, a thump every millisecond. He changed my heart, my blood, my chakra levels and limits, and the construction of my cells, making me impossible for science's eye to figure out automatically. Thanks to this new fate, I could live without internal organs and my inner muscles, bones, and skin could heal automatically, usually ranging in completely healing from six hours to a day. Normal people could not live a second of Kisame's torture, and he dug until almost my inners were ripped apart. They healed miraculously fast, and by that time, it had become only a memory on my skin.

Kisame smiled, and I jerked the white covers on my stomach in embarrassment. He tilted his head back and roared for whatever reason and I sank within the sheets. He cocked his head to the light in the window, amazed by something.

"But enough with that bastard…" he calmly shifted over to his position and sighed. There was some information that he was not telling me. The air got denser as the wind migrated its way into my room from the humidity, and set in. I sat on my bed, and my master glanced in the direction of the ground, apparently waiting for a response. I avoided him silently, and so he decided to bring up a certain topic I never want to talk about.

"How are you doing with the curse mark? Any symptoms?" He straightened his posture slightly, grey beady eyes meeting my gold ones in intensity. I felt something, like a pounding force, nothing to be afraid of, but to be cautious about. Something I felt inside, but instead of my very heart, my guts and organs getting hit. He was sympathizing to me, and through the emotion of caring. Caring. What an awful word; it makes me choke in my lungs so that no air could ever come out. The word and Kisame's behavior and personality make something unreliable and opposing to each other, and for the first time in our partnership, he felt positively about me. He forgot about the three day battle in Kiri and Konaha, the hatred we connected with about each other and everything we had done, and the blood of each other spilt on the floor…. just for one little moment, one tiny second on earth that time itself will hold onto its grasp forever on.

I shook the feeling off and answered blankly. "None."

Kisame's eyes had lost the light under the fog of his grey eyes after my unemotional words and stood. "Good… because I have a plan that might cure it if we have the chance."

I let go of the covers in curiosity, still the sheets sitting on my body. "What possibly could you have devised that led to an announcement for my antidote? We'll need Suigetsu, I'm sure, but if we-"

"We're going while we have you alive and in major health. In three weeks, you and me will strike the lair at dusk, kill Orochimaru, kidnap Suigetsu, and you can transfer the curse onto him. Simple and easy."

I attacked easily, glaring at him in negative incredulity and questioning. "And how will that happen? Out of dumb luck? Orochimaru has trained me more than half of my living life, he has the whole Sound village at his knees, and Suigetsu… is a hard persuader. We need something to bargen with."

Kisame mused out loud. "True, true, my dear, but you underestimate yourself… we will think about it later, but speaking of the devil…" he looked down under my bed, a sarcastic smile on his face, teeth pointing sharply, "…this was his room, and you wear his cloak."

I stood back, appalled. I flinched accordingly, and peered at the cloak in the corner. I remember the time I was in Konan's bedroom, and I had inspected it for my personal questioning. I had smelt blood from a thousand battles on that cloak, and the scent of that brought back dreadful memories of his slaughters and mine. A child scarred internally and mentally for life.

My mind flashed onto the memories of my former self, barely five years old, cowering and shivering, covered with the innocent scarlet of others. My blonde hair lay flat, almost folding to my hips, and my soft hands trembled, my Raikugan eyes widening in the direction of the blood on my hands. I wore a kimono of various silks, but it was all covered in the spreading injuries of the souls I killed. I looked on in sympathy, and rage of the man who made me into this person poisoned my mind with bad thoughts and vengeance. My mind finally came back to reality, Kisame staring at me with intensity.

"He really messed you up, didn't he?" he semi-joked, except for the fact he didn't grin like always.

I turned my neck to him and looked down at my sheets, my fingers twirling casually with the pattern of the covers. "Heh. You say it like it's a bad thing that I was messed up." I sighed, and then smiled slightly at my right corner, eyes to my master.

Kisame stood up, the same expression gleaming off of his face. "Yeah, you're such a freak, how do you live?" He laughed in good humor to himself, making it obvious that he was pointing out that he was more of an outcast than I was.

I giggled lightly, sitting up in posture. "And you know what…? You're better off than everyone in Orochimaru's lair… and even Orochimaru himself… god, he's like you except part snake-"

"- and except that I'm way more handsome."

We both laughed in unison, and after a few seconds of taking in our breath regularly, we grinned to each other. We both connected eyes, and unlike myself, I flinched back, my arm being the only weight facing vertically from the rest of my body. Kisame turned to the window, inspecting the pouring rain the streets of Amegakure. An uncomfortable minute passed, and he came back, leaning on my bed. "Well, I have to go. For you, I'll tell Deidara that you're sincerely sorry about the little outburst that came out of you-"

"Woah, whoa," I interrupted, arms crossing, "Deidara is to be apologized to, but he's not out of my grasp yet. He defended me, I know, but he's not loose."

Kisame sighed sarcastically, showing off those white knife-like teeth. "Hmm, well, he's crazy over you, and he thinks you're his soulmate…"

"…which is not the case for me," I wondered off, rolling my eyes, "I like him, but he's just… too much of himself, trying to impress me with every move."

"He probably loves you because you look somewhat like him." He tilted his head back and laughed while I chuckled. I covered my mouth with the cuff of my hand, not wanting to see me in a pleasant mood. He coughed a little bit, but managed to come back. His lungs and throat were more in strength than the last time I heard him, spitting up blood because of my behalf. I leaned back into my pillow, my stomach almost giving out because of the effects of his strength by Samehada on my body.

Kisame got up slowly, turning into the direction of the doorway. "It's funny…" he mused out loud, gills facing me, a peek of his grey eye on me, "…you loosen up on your vocabulary when you have a good time."

I stood outraged at his comment. I have always developed a habit of semi-comprehensive language, and yet, he noticed something I could have never caught myself not doing. I slumped down. He knew me better every day. "I do not, Kisame. I happen to speak with ultimate authority and composure, and you complain like an irrelevant child about the situation that you cannot comprehend what I have to say… I'm apologetic, but master, you have to realize that you have what you have."

He grinned and chuckled lightly, probably not knowing the seriousness in my tone. "As I said, too bad, and loosen up, kid." He crept up to my bed and did something I was not expecting… he ruffled my hair, like I was his little sister. I stood shocked in my own paralysis. "You don't want to be uptight like Itachi… and besides, I appreciate you better when you smile."

He walked calmly and nonchalantly to the wooden door, pressed his hand onto the oak, then pushed the entrance until it creaked unpleasantly and entered my eardrums with no sense of ease. Then he tensed quietly, and turned his head until one eye glued on me. I shook despite myself, and his smile crept onto his face.

"One reminder…" he mused, "Leader wanted me to assign you to having one teacher each day you are available. They are miscellaneous, so I don't know who you have each event. But I do know who you have first."

What? Did I hear that right? My head pounded with anxiety; never have I expected this form of task from the leader. I sat up in common surprise, and a source of pain erupted in bursts in my stomach. My face cringed, and Kisame's grey eyes narrowed. "Who?" I growled accidentally.

"You start off with Sasori, master of puppets."

Aca Suna No Sasori. The one who had mentioned the name of the man who had destroyed my soul. His partner; his friend, and mostly now… his enemy… and now from the voice of Kisame, he plays with puppets. By the sound of it, he put me in a position of remembrance. From only the word puppets, I have a flashback of Kankurou of the Sunagakure, the puppet ninja I had faced off during the chunin exams all but a few elapsing years ago. He was powerful, with too many tricks up his sleeve, but as a weakness of gen-jutsu resistance, I beat him in fifteen minutes, his body staggered on the floor, slave of my Raikugan for the last few seconds of the competitive fight. He proved to be a good contender, and now that I had thoughts of my temporary teacher, Sasori, he comes to my mind as a prediction… five times stronger than Kankurou, since he was hired for Akatsuki, the most powerful gang of wanted criminals in the five nations. I shivered when I heard his name, and Kisame took note. To cover up, I coughed and snickered. "Oh, this will be interesting, the master of puppets, what a creeper." I wanted to conceal my anger, shock, and expectations from my master, and needed to be on Kisame's good side.

"Oh, you'll be surprised with him… almost too surprised…" he pondered out loud, trying to draw intention, "Well… I gotta get going. I have a mission, and with you injured, I can't have you in risk, so I expect you to sleep until you are fully healed… and that is a command. " Kisame Hoshigaki left with the door swiveling vertically north and south until gravity pulled it down to stop.

"Thanks," I murmured under my breath as my back straightened up and onto the mattress.

My eyelids drooped as his last words to me floated up onto my brain, and by his whim, I sank into a deep sleep, undisturbed, and unfinished with my duties.


	5. Clash of the Arts

**AN:**

**Hey guys! Okay, so from now on, if you post a review, I will respond on the next update, right before the chapter starts! So… please, fav, follow, review, and I'll give cyber cookies and answers! Likes, dislikes, questions, and other stuff, just please. So here are the answers to the comments from the previous chapters:**

**-laharvey125 (chapter 1): Yeah, I agree, they are really, long, I'm trying to shorten them down for the next update, or there might be shortening of chapters… and I actually do have one pic of her, and I've been making more of them ****… and for her condition, she builds up some energy and chakra while Itachi and Kisame take her in, and also adrenaline.**

**-alexismidnightrunner (chapter 1): yeah, they do have a lot of similarities! (Kisame kidnapping, Alex sort of like Tetane in a way…) And thanks, I will definitely make more **

**-Ninja99 (chapter 1): THANK YOU SOOOO MUCH! I love your comment! And def, I will write more!**

**- laharvey125 (chapter 2): Yeah, Kisame has some sort of kekki-genkai (like Orochimaru's curse mark on Sasuke), I'll definitely explain more about it on the upcoming updates… and DeidaraXTetane? Yeah, in real life, I really enjoy Deidara as a character, and I think Tetane and he have similarities… and for other chapters… they'll be boyfriend girlfriend… and yeah, I miss spelt that last part. Sorry for the confusion. **

**-xxyangxx2006 (chapter 3): Thanks for reading and reviewing. (MAKES MY FREAKING DAY!)**

**-Akatsuki-Hidan (chapter 3): Omg! Thanks for saying it was wonderful… and dude, I love yours! No problem reviewing yours, I enjoyed it soooo much! And thanks… Tetane does in fact… kick major ss.**

**-xxyangxx2006 (chapter 4): Yayz! **** Thanks! The Orochimaru plan… I'm still coming up with it, but I've got the main part all planned…. And boy! It. Will. Be. Epic. Tetane and Kisame = Kickass. And once it's posted, go AHEAD! I would absolutely love to see a parody of the mission! Just send me a message about it, and I will fav it and review it! Omg! That would be the most awesome thing ever! Hehe **

**Okay, now that you saw those, let's continue! (Note: there will be kissing scenes, some humor, and Sasori coming up!) 3…2…1… **

05

"I'm so happy that little tantrum wore off, Hun. You were a little crazy back there."

I sighed contently. "Well, I guess that could happen to anyone. I'm sorry for all of the insults."

"You are forgiven, my dove. I overreacted," Deidara confessed, arm scratching his back in once in a while self-embarrassment.

I looked back at Deidara, a dreamy smile implanted on my face and a dazed stare at my boyfriend, finally knowing that I felt the same way that he did for me, ever since the day we met at my confirmation. I loved him now, and the heart bursting sense every time I saw him controlled me. I thought of that thought as ironic, and I accepted it.

He came to me, knocking desperately at my door, his voice ringing out in apologies and thoughts of sympathy this morning, causing me to wake up from Kisame's command. I smiled, jumping out of bed and opening the door, hugging him tighter than I could hold onto than my own life. He brought that gesture out as acceptation, and now we held hands while walking through the rainy forests of Amegakure. Is this a crazy action, taking in this cocky teenage blonde terrorist for my own selfish and foolish needs? Yes, but in the depths of my mind, I'm planning for betrayal. This temporary couple would only last for as long as I wanted. But unplanned… I fell for him after we connected a bond when I least expended it. Fate was cruel, indeed. I never intended to…

I was lovestruck. It was the type of season too, and every October, as some experts say: the autumn weather, the scarlet and warm colored leaves, and the crisp atmosphere effects the hearts of young lovers, changing and morphing them like the transitioning leaves on the oak trees. Me and Deidara were both victims, and soon fell for each other. My mind split in two when I experienced this foolish action: one being with him and taking him in as still my ally, and the other was darker, wanting nothing more than to see him fade as my freedom gained. I couldn't decide since love made me limp on either side. Young love. What a waste, but what a wonderful feeling.

The patters of the sky water came echoing through the forest, and Deidara's hand felt cold along with the wind. My blood and body temperature made my hand almost boiling, and that was to the terrorist's comfort. We connected eyes, and he flinched back, always going to be afraid. I sighed sarcastically.

"Well, I should show my appreciation in some sort of way, I mean, we are a couple," I suggested, a curve of my smile showing to Deidara.

He showed a hint of red on his cheeks, understanding my idea. Then he smiled like he always had, very greedily and interested, sharp blue eye narrowed. We intertwined, black and red cloaks clashing, and our breaths felt more comforting than anything. I looked down onto our hands, and I stared up at him, widening my smile. "Let's do it before my lips are chapped."

Our lips met in harmony, and our eyes remained closed for a few precious seconds, which came to last more than that in mental total. His lips were soft and sweetly crushed against mine, and he held me preciously, like I was the only value to him besides his own life and wonder. I wrapped my free hands around his neck, wishing for more when we let go. We again connected in greed, and repeatedly kissed passionately. My heart was pulsing above my actual average by the way he touched me, kissed me, held onto me. That moment, I wished desperately to spare him from my cruelty and murder, but I had my mind set. I would miss him desperately… for all of the positive things, like this.

We had the same idea at once, and we untwined and let go of each other. My eyelashes fluttered from this type of appreciation, and that blush of his never left as we continued walking through the fall foliage.

"Better than art…" Deidara muttered to himself, trying not to let me hear.

I grinned widely, snickering while holding hands tightly. "Well, I happen to agree with you… it was pretty magnificent."

Yeah, hmm," he replied, admiring the dark red and orange trees around us. Then he turned to me in curiosity. I raised my eyebrow in questioning. "Hey… why now?"

"What do you mean?"

"Like, I can see that you've fallen deeper than ever," he confessed from his own will, shying back from my penetrating glare, "What made you finally realize that I was the only one for you, hmm?"

That little comment irritated me from the fact that he was acting deadly serious about this whole matter, and that Deidara showed off his sparkling personality that I've dissolved into hating. He provided the opinion that he was superior over me, and by thinking that, my attitude towards his self-composure was turning sour.

I breathed, trying so desperately to give him the honest answer. "Remember when we were dining at that restaurant, and I had shown you my fate to Kisame?" He nodded quickly, and I continued. "Well, when I was healing from Kisame's punishment-"

"That damned shark man," Deidara mumbled negatively, "He will regret it, hurting you like that, hmm. He's gone too far."

"He's fine, Deidara. He apologized to me after, and he made sure I was physically healthy. You should lessen your burden of that thought. I happen to fight for myself only."

Deidara blinked in shock, and I nodded. Then his grip on my hand loosened as he began to realize that I was telling the truth. "Fine, hmm. What else were you going to say?"

"I was healing from any physical damage set upon when I… saw Itachi Uchiha," I muttered almost to myself, experiencing another flashback, seeing my pitiful self among the ranks and standards of the older, more superior gen-jutsu artist. I saw while I told. "He did what I had done to you yesterday, showing flashbacks from the works of his gen-jutsu abilities. He sent me to the time of when I was unconscious and I was in control for the ceremony and granting."

Deidara was in a state of outrage, he body shaking, staggering while walking. I knew how he felt, being forced into the organization without consent from his conscious. I praised him sympathy, but I was nothing I had gone through with Kisame and his crafty partner. "Uchiha… will die from my art…"

I shook my head vigorously, disagreeing entirely. "Itachi has more intelligence than you could hold onto for a second, and he takes your over self-confidence to his advantage. He used his simple gen-jutsu skills to take you down in defeat. I want no more excuses; just admit. The events you have experienced have been to your liking, and you should be grateful that you haven't had the punishment and torture I had endured in."

He shook for a minute, and my glare had penetrated him internally. His eye veered from me to the ground, and he sighed violently, continuing to walk, his hand surprisingly loose and free. "You have a point, hmm, but I will never forget it. Now continue, my love."

I stared blankly at Deidara with a hurt in my eyes, both consuming sympathy and hatred. He was too uptight, tasseled in his own greed and ambition. He would never forget, and even the most forceful gen-jutsu could never shatter his thirst for vengeance against the Sharingan.

I continued blankly. "I saw myself rise from the command of Itachi, and I presented myself in front of the entire organization, in front of Kisame…" I shivered internally, my heart turning cold. "…and I saw your face."

Deidara lifted his head in surprise, and I smiled, a sliver of grin on the corner of my lips. "Yes, Deidara, I remember your face when I was accepted. I realized from the sidelines of this previous experience that you and I were connected all together, by our ambitions, and the fact that we were changed captives of Akatsuki. And yes…" I paused to gaze in Deidara's sharp blue dusk eye, "… I have internally joined with you. That was all I felt was a soul feeling that I was wrong about all of this, and that you were right about us… we belonged together."

He screamed out in his own personal victory as I giggled lightly. "Ha! The underdog triumphs finally! Tetane, you are amazing, hmm!"

I sighed sarcastically and rolled my eyes. "You really are something, Deidara."

He eyed me with that piercing blue eye of his intently. "Come here."

I knew what he thought of. "Do it quickly, I don't want any witnesses."

The blonde bomber had caught hold of my hands in his and again, we intertwined with each other, dreamy looks on both of our faces. The world was unknown once we kissed again, and he smiled in greed as we closed our eyes, trying to enjoy the precious moments of each other.

"Ha! Senpai, Senpai! You're a little player, aren't you?"

Our eyes sprung open to see who the hell was yelling out Deidara's name like that. To my interest and insult, it was the orange masked non-member, Tobi, the one who accompanied Zetsu. Our lips still held together like glue, but Deidara's face was of extreme embarrassment, and so he tried to hide it with immense anger. He disconnected with me before I was out of a paralyzing shock and humiliation, and yelled in a deeper, sterner tone than ever before, Deidara knowing that he was superior to the masked ninja. "TOBI! YOU LITTLE PIECE OF SHIT! GET BACK HERE BEFORE I REALLY KILL YOU, HMM!"

Tobi, our little spy, had jumped a foot in the air from mocking surprise and fled, arms dangling in the air. "Don't kill me, Deidara Senpai! I was only joking!"

Deidara's face had gotten redder than I have ever recalled, and he lifted his arm sleeves in frustration, showing his muscles, lean and pale under his cloak. He disappeared with me left behind.

For that entire time, I had blushed pink, and my face was hotter than usual with the exposure of our love to Tobi, the immature ninja with a joking personality. I stood rigid, and my hands had grabbed onto each other, uncomfortably shy about this entire experience and surprise. Suddenly from out of the depths of the Amegakure forests, an explosion sounded, leaving a trail of fire and smoke behind from probably four miles away.

At my displeasure and humor, the duo had appeared back in front of me, an evilly smiling Deidara and a burnt Tobi, covered in soot and a little spark of fire burning at the top of his head. They both looked at me, one embarrassed and strangulating, and one complaining and being choked.

"But Senpai! TOBI'S SORRY!"

"Tobi, you dumbass baka, hmm, I want to know why the hell you here… INVADING MY PRIVACY!"

"Well, Tobi needed to speak with Tetane-chan… Sasori-sama needs her for today."

Tobi directed his head towards me, and I blinked in a daze. Sasori… damn it! I had forgotten that it was necessary for me to meet with him for training, as Kisame had instructed from Pein. My mind finally cleared from all of this confusion, and I nodded casually.

"Also," Tobi continued, using his childish voice with his senior, "Tobi needs to escort her there… that's Sasori-sama's instructions."

Deidara shuttered knowingly, having uncomfortable flashbacks of his partner and his short tempers. He directed his blonde head towards me with wide eyes. Tobi turned his masked head to me and nodded repeatedly, naturally goofy and by Deidara's displeasure, Tobi was dropped on the ground with a thud, then getting up immediately, head turning everywhere, immaturely dazed. The two looked at me with unreadable expressions, and I swallowed, humiliated internally by forgetting about Sasori.

"Oh, yes," I mumbled, looking down, the red blush still clinging onto my face, "I had forgotten entirely from Kisame's reminder. Deidara…" I came closer to Deidara, a twist of a sweet smile on the corner if my mouth, eyes burning, "…I'll meet with you later. I have no idea when, but soon. Tobi… may you be a gentleman and escort me there with an open heart and mind."

Tobi stood almost too energetically and saluted to me. "Tobi's lady… but more Deidara's lady…" the masked non-member knelt down and grabbed my unguarded hand, "Tobi will show you the way to Sasori-sama's." Then with his mask on, he pretended to kiss my hand, bringing my top to the part of his disguise that would be where his mouth would be. He came up, tugging continuously on my hand.

"Let's go, Tetane-chan! Sasori-sama has a big temper!"

"So do I, you baka, hmm!" Deidara scolded, dusk eye narrowed in his lesser comrade's action. His expression lightened up when he came to me. "Tetane, I don't I'll see you until the mission is over, so this is goodbye, hmm. I really hope Sasori-no-danna doesn't give that hard of a time. He's very… arguemental." He gave a fake, uncomfortable laugh to cover up for his bravado in saying those words.

"Deidara, I'll probably survive," I smiled, using my humorous sarcasm, "I will be thinking optimistically about you when you disappear for the temporary moment."

Deidara came my way, and Tobi pricked his head with no hesitation, checking his Senpai won't kiss me again, and yet, my boyfriend was making his last move. His blonde hair brushed against my skin, and his sweet breath came along with it. "Goodbye, my love."

He caressed my face with intention, and the blush on my face became gratuitous in my presence. He leaned in, and then all hell broke loose in Tobi's already scrambled mentality.

He started blatantly screaming, pulling my arm with such strength that we were running, and my feet never touched the ground. I saw Deidara's surprised and furious reaction, then his expression changed when he had no choice but to let go of me. He smiled in a caring way, eye glued onto mine until Tobi and I disappeared into the woods. He placed me on the ground, and pulled me up energetically, hand awkwardly behind his head.

"Ah, sorry for that, Tetane-chan. We have to get going."

I shrugged in a flat matter, showing no sense of concern. "That is acceptable. We will venture until both of us reach Sasori."

I transitioned to walking casually in the Amegakure woods, surrounded by raindrops making sweet, calming sounds reflecting upon the depths of the nearby ponds, where the wildlife stir. I breathed deep the heavy oxygen, my blood feeling more comfortable in these conditions of humidity and moisture in the atmosphere. I thought back while Tobi followed walking behind me, and the things I reflected back on was the fact of why Itachi Uchiha presented me with his gen-jutsu flashback, merely a irrelevant memory for him but a big revelation for me, and the hint that could secure me of my freedom if I counted on my jutsu and luck. I felt for him deeply, a heart-felt connection no human being has ever felt unless soulmates. We were something, even though we considered enemies by the eye of the public. Itachi Uchiha and Tetane Mikaze, battling gen-jutsu artists, trying so desperately to victor into who presents the better eye. The all controlling Raikugan versus the Sharingan, the eye of small, but effecting wonders. How will the results reside? That question will have to be pondered on.

Tobi, who walks right next to me, wanted to start off a conversation. "Tetane-chan… you must be amazing."

I raised my right eyebrow in confusion. "How is that, hmm?" I demanded quaintly.

Tobi lifted his hands up in amusement, chuckling. "TETANE-CHAN… no… TETANE-SAMA, YOU'RE KIDDING TOBI!" He wiggled his gloved fingers in magic effect. "The possessor of TWO gekki-kenkai, the infamous bloodclones and the terror of nightmares… the Raikugan… and the fact that you have your hereditary speed with Kisame Senpai's chakra… WOW!"

I looked down in despair as I walked slowly, my footprints marking in the muddy ground heavily, like in trade for the burden I carried along with all of my breathtaking abilities. I turned my head to him tiredly. "All of that appears as something unbelievable, something incredible… but my sacrifices have made them seem like such small rewards. Orochimaru… other ninja… Kisame and this organization… this sensation makes it unbearable to withtake. So may there be my power, but my falls have grown to four fold than the average person. Unbearable," I muttered almost to myself, my fingers gripping the curse mark on my neck like it was a form of strangulation.

Tobi shuttered quietly, but then chatted again, not caring for the fact I was in internal pain. "That Raikugan is what everyone in the Akatsuki is scared of… I mean, you can make actual zombies! That's pretty awesome!" The goofy non-member stood next to me and held out his arms straight from his chest and walked accordingly, raising one foot at a time, trying to catch up with me. "Ughhhhh… yes master," he moaned fakely.

I was losing my temper with this irrelevant little asshole. No wonder Deidara cannot stand him for a minute. My fists clenched in annoyance and frustration, and after the third long-lasting moan, I snapped my mentality in half. I came in a flash to Tobi's back with one of my most prized weapons in my arsenal… Raiga's Thunder Summoner's. Both came crossed in, surrounding Tobi's vulnerable neck.

"Tobi, you insolence, I have taken in enough of your experience personality," I murmured sarcastically, but still stiff serious about the current situation, "I respect those who remain quiet and politely accept my invitation to come with you. You are behaving immaturely, and this type of attitude deeply annoys me. If you calm down your spirit by just a few tones, I would gratefully accept you again in partly sympathy. Understood, or do I have to repeat myself with the chances of the lightning forces on my side?" On my command, a spark came connecting the two miniature spiked rods, and as this situation happened, Tobi flinched.

"OKAY! OKAY! TETANE-SAMA, PUT THOSE THINGS AWAY FOR TOBI!"

I sighed and snickered, dropping my arms from gravity and moving on from my position. "Irrelevant little baka," I muttered sickly.

As I passed Tobi, his hands clasped onto his throat in recovery from this treatment of shock. He coughed a few minor times, but when he saw me walking to the base direction, he sprinted until he was behind me, deeply breathing in a goofy manner. "Geez, Senpai must have picked out his equal," Tobi pointed out harshly, but not intentionally.

I turned to him, narrowing my eyes in true frustration, and the masked man stepped back, apparently afraid of the infamous Raikugan that I could have wielded at my own free will. I grinned, the corner of my mouth showing towards Tobi's direction, and then I turned in continuance of going to Sasori as quickly as humanly possible.

. . .

We stopped at the dead point to where Sasori, and all of the other experienced members, were going to train me. On the exterior was a boulder with a thirty foot flag with the insignia: Strength. I chuckled at the irony… I had no strength to burden on me. I came to train and learn of the Akatsuki's different motives, not to give me false pride in the depths of my heart. I stared blankly at the sign as Tobi spoke for the first time since I threatened him.

"Hey, Tetane-sama, we need to get in somewhere… there's no entrance anywhere that Tobi sees," Tobi scratched his neck in realization.

"And yet, you call yourself a ninja?" I hissed, retorting on Tobi's stupid behavior, "There is always a weakness in a fortress like this, and if you knew well enough to observe your surroundings…" I pointed to a summoning sign on the bottom of the rock. "… you'll find a solution."

Tobi came running up to where I was standing and in his surprise jumped up into the air and stared straight at me in incredulity. "Wow, Tetane-sama. You're good…"

"This requires a blood sacrifice," I murmured quietly, ignoring the comment the masked man had presented as a compliment. I quickly brought Raiga's blade in my hand and with my left, dug deep into the palm. I cringed at what happened, but with common but unsettle victory, the blood came dripping slowly onto the mark and I mumbled the cast. My hand signs stayed accurate, and soon before mine and Tobi's eyes widened, the rumble in the interior of the cave carried the vibrations and earthquake to split open the barrier in front of us, no damage coming into both of us. As we both watched in glorious shock, a landing creature planted on my shoulder. I stroked my fellow until Tobi ran to me in a panic. I glared at him as the splitting of the entrance continued.

"TETANE-SAMA! WHAT DID YOU DO?"

I yelled over the tumbling rocks. "You must be a true idiot! This is cause of the blood sacrifice! The sign on the center, Strength, is the hardship of sacrifice and pressure! Affects develop within you, making you stronger, making it easier for you to achieve your standards, even exceed them without any thoughts of hesitation! Understood?"

Tobi nodded, or maybe it was the shaking of the rocks, but it stopped suddenly, and Tobi and I averted our eyes. The blocked boulder cracked evenly in two, making a squeeze for each of us. We both approached it, and swiftly, we made it inside, eyes circling the premises, checking for any signs of suspicion. I detected none, and finally realizing that my long-lost companion was still clinging onto my shoulder in need of support, I raised my hand to him, offering a rest. Jiyuu accepted immediately, and hopped on. I cooed as he did and Tobi yelled in excitement.

"Yahoo! We made it! Yay- Uh, Tetane-sama, what is that?"

I turned to him in exception, a blank expression planted on my face. "This is my… house-bird, I guess, Jiyuu. He's been extremely loyal, and it seems for him that his wing is healing, which is a positive result."

The finch hopped onto my head, and scratched onto my head, and then traveled to Tobi's, pecking at his hair in suspicion. Then all of a sudden, Jiyuu squawked at him in a sour tone, wings fluttering a hundred beats per second, so desperate to stay away. Gravity took the best, and the delicate bird was caught in the safe and worried caress of my hands. I was surprised with this result, like Jiyuu knew certain people from their comforts. Tobi was an enemy of his… and now is venturing into mine, lingering into the corner of my suspicions. I narrowed my eyes as Tobi came in with a hidden look of immature shock. "Hm," I mused sympathetically, "He usually never behaves like this in the presence of another. Interesting, especially for you, Tobi, who is always so… recklessly fun."

Tobi tilted his head in confusion, but as soon as Jiyuu returned to the comfort of my shoulder, Tobi and I walked through the mysterious cave in search for the first of my teachers. Inside was a great area surrounded by smooth stone wall, and the same insignia that waved proudly on the outside. The earth was softer than most, with the increasing amount of dirt and grass placed onto the ground, specifically for training and for effect, not getting fatally injured. Rays of the only sunlight crept into the cracks of the ceiling, atmosphere fresh and wet, like from the thunderstorm brutally banging on the roof, but not slipping in to disturb us. Another room was found on the left, and that particular room caught my intriguement like a hook. It was surrounded in darkness, but I knew there was another purpose. One other door was on the right, and as time began to realize itself, and fate began to sew back together, came the illustrious and dangerous Acasuna No Sasori, limping in an even pace.

He gruffed at the sight of me, and sighed in a rough voice, judgmentally harsh. "You're late."

I turned around for any sign of Tobi, and to my surprise, the masked man was vanished into the atmosphere, nowhere to be seen, even from my eye. My eyes narrowed from definite signs of suspicions. Tobi was to always be questioned, loyal to the Akatsuki or a betrayer, like I will be in the very near future, or at least, will have planned to be. I twisted my head to the brittle but wide old wooden man, fists clenched, making way for my appealing bravado.

"You are lucky I had to show up," I remarked harshly, "Kisame would murder me if I didn't-"

"I don't care about your stupid excuses," Sasori murmured, appearing bored with the fact that the Raikugan girl was being trained by him. He turned slowly, one thin dark brow raised. "I want to figure you out. But first, I want to show you something. Come here, and this is necessary for you to know about me."

This was irrelevant to my time. Sasori was probably only here on a case of amusement or pure mockery of everything that I have to offer and show him. He seemed uninterested in all of this, by his facial expression and the fact that I have never seen him smile. I glared at the old man, who wobbled over to the right door again, expecting me to follow. How could he teach me anything, with that type of body and that shape? He appeared dangerous, but not dangerous enough to be in Akatsuki. Then I remembered Kisame's words with a fluttering heartbeat: _"Oh, you'll be surprised with him… almost too surprised…"_ I shivered unintentionally. I had an awful feeling for this particular member, and it sat stuck rock hard in my stomach. I followed him uneasily, but I intended to tell him about my lifetime grudge and the fact that Sasori was connected to him.

"Sasori, I don't care about this subject. I know you were…"

He turned, hand halting my words. "Yes. I was partners with Orochimaru, the man who rearranged your life by rearranging his. I knew you, Tetane Namikaze, but you knew me, even though you don't remember this body."

Namikaze. I grinned widely, showing my canine teeth. He knew about my true last name, the name that I had only discovered of months ago, when I first was introduced to my dead father, Yondaime Hokage, through a dream, a vast dream that consisted of that simple memory of the day that Naruto was born, and I was his step-sister, born from an unknown woman before Kushina Uzumaki. I'll never know her like I now understand Minato, but eventually, someone will spill the secrets of my origin before I spill their blood. It will be revealed, but for right now, I was the daughter of the brave and valiant Fourth Hokage, the step-sister of the kyuubi jinchuuriri, and the golden pride of Konahagakure. I chuckled silently. Not anymore.

Then Sasori's full message hit me like the blistering sun. I was confused about what he referred to, and that comment struck me as stupid in front of him. He coughed like I was only just kidding.

I took one slow step towards him and one of my eyebrows was raised, my expectations higher than standard for this strange criminal. "What do you mean…?"

His eyes looked more bloodshot than ever, his temper on the verge of rising too much. "So you have not been told," he lingered in his deep voice, "Deidara is not the only one who irritates me as so….this wooden shield is not my true body. I live in my creations, and I excel in my creations. And now to you, girl, this is my real body."

He moved in rapid paces, like a machine, and stopped, his mask falling off of his face, slowly drifting to the ground. His mouth was like a wooden doll, and the slits came down onto his chin, finally making me realize what the temporary teacher meant by his used body. His cloak fell off, and to my certain surprise, he sat, and a small entrance came shuffling down on his stomach. Inside was someone chuckling, sighing, and smiling in greed. He lifted himself off of his space, and a blue finger-nailed hand took a grasp at the wood. Once that was in place, the mysterious true body of Acasuna No Sasori was eventually revealed to me. He cracked a simple smile towards my eyes, and he narrowed his eyes as I widened mine. I didn't believe something was possible like him, but as fate could be shattered and rearranged, I scoffed in mock surprise. "Heh. So this is your body. You're younger and cuter than I had imagined the average middle aged man to appear before me. What a discovery."

He was definitely younger, maybe physically appearing less than my age, my guess being about sixteen. He had red hair, blazing in my sight; lightening up the dark depths of this cave in the instant that boy came out of his living puppet. His eyes reminded me of the deep pit of Sunagakure, the soul of the sand village, they lit up, then the pupils adjusted from the lack of light but the ones trying to get into the space we had and the color of my matching hair and my eyes. He was handsome, but not anything as Itachi Uchiha, more adorable, stating, but with high cheekbones and a smirk, like an overgrown child. The eyes were in a lazy expression, almost bored, his long black eyelashes brushing against his high cheekbones. Of all of the things I've seen this is true work. From the opinions of Sasori and Deidara, if I were to choose, I would state with the agreements of the Puppet master. For what simple action by showing his ageless and perfect face from his betrayal with Sunagakure, remaining immortal by physical standards had certainly shown and swiped me off of my feet. Art is forever, and shall stay that way.

Sasori stiffened, and then scoffed by just the sight of me. "It took everything I could, but in the end, it proved out… a success. What you see is my puppet body, my true form, from when I took my soul and made it into something beautiful, something than that baka of a partner, Deidara, would never understand. Art is eternal, and so shall be the name Acasuna No Sasori."


	6. Her Eternal Gift

**And we're back! **

**Sorry it took so long to update (School, sports, crap…) but it's the Sasori point of view! (Fake applause in the background)**

**And what I promised you all… your comments responded:**

**Xxyangxx2006: For that little short story (Haha thanks for the interest for my fanfic! **** really excited), it's going to be a while before it comes out… probably a few more updates or so… and yes, Tobi is warned by Jiyuu. Tetane should stay away, Hehe. But Madara won't reveal himself for a long time, right when Kisame finds about him, probably after when Team Taka joins. She'll be the last to know. **

**Thanks for your comments! Next update will be in a while, but for the meantime, enjoy, REVIEW (PLEASE!) and continue to follow the story of Tetane Namikaze.**

**(For future warning, a few events in Naruto change, for instance, sadly, Tenten doesn't exist. Tetane replaces her position, being on Guy's Team. Well, Naruto has a step-sibling, and some other events will occur. Toon in to find out more) **

**Okay, done with the boring author's note. Enjoy!**

06:

Sasori's Point of View:

That girl was getting intensely on my nerves. She thought she knew everything, a smartass, thinking she could get herself out of any situation just because of the fact that she was trained by the man I called a neutral comrade… and that eye of hers, the Raikugan. That name wants me to get rid of all of my worries, like it all had tried to before, but since that wielder is no more than an idiot of a girl, she will have to be taken in with my false respect. She looked at me intently, trying to find an answer for my background, for example, why I had betrayed my wasteful village in any reason possible. She will never know, nor will I tell a soul. Only my puppets reveal my true thinking and my true art.

The Namikaze girl had widened her eyes again, and I scoffed, speaking plainly, not enjoying the fact I would have to drag this useless conversation into a discussion about him. "I am an ally with your former teacher and still am." I continued, my fingers twitching; in need for the reach of my chakra strings to set kill on this girl, "I visited him when he took you in and quit the organization. I saw you as an interesting pick, but Orochimaru cherished you-"

"That man only shared kindness with my eye," she interrupted rudely, clenching her fists with no care, savoring every minute she wasn't in his hands. I stared at her, bored. "He never cared about my heart; the childhood in which I was tortured with horrendous thoughts… it was all about controlling the things he wanted."

I snuggled a twitch of a smile, nostalgia creeping up into my memories and releasing them out. "I wouldn't think about that…" I came out of reality, peering into my nearing past.

_I decided I didn't need Hiruko's body for this visit, and besides, it was common to show your true face in the presence of someone of your equal, and it was true; he had seen my true form before. Orochimaru was very interested in my procedure, but I never trusted him well enough nor did I treat him as my same. He quit because he needed the Sharingan, an eye worthy of blessing and ambitions by envious others to kill. Itachi had forcefully pushed him aside by his art of gen-jutsu, and having Orochimaru's hand cut off from his body, he proceeded to need another one, then quitting the organization. It's been two months since I've seen him, and yet, I've partnered alone for now, until Leader finds another replacement. I entered nonchalantly, seeing the secret entrance, with one of Orochimaru's prisoner guides to help me among the way. Finally we crossed paths, a long smile implanted on his reptile-like face. _

"_Sasori. Welcome, my friend. Have you enjoyed your escort?"_

_I shrugged, uninterested. "Hotter outside than ever in Sunagakure. Now Orochimaru…" I continued, pausing for a brief second as he started mixing his toxins together, smiling as he loved doing his hobby of experimenting, "I have heard rumors that you have fully quit the organization… is that true?"_

_He chuckled harshly, grinning in lack of respect for who he was talking with. "Ah, yes, it is. Let's just say I had never gotten what I wanted-"_

"_Itachi Uchiha. For your own personal use in your soul possessing jutsu. Sure, I've heard the miraculous things done with your thousands of jutsu, but a failure like this… caused you to quit? Have you really gone as my partner?"_

_Orochimaru stopped with his activities, glaring at me with those yellow snake eyes, which I have uncomfortably gotten familiar with. "…Yes. But discussion about my resignation isn't on my resume."_

"_Then what do have to show me?" I rudely interrupted, my temper matching up to my former partner's. We both kept our internal rivalry from each other, and after he quit the Akatsuki, I had begun to lessen my respect to him and his abilities. He helped build up my theory of immortal art by the fact of his body possessing jutsu, but him and I would have our disagreements._

_The snake-resembling man smirked. "Follow me. It's something that might change the course of things."_

_I nodded politely and followed, my feet drifting across the floor. I couldn't help myself from wandering and discovering the various substances were on the shelves. Toxins, poisons, bottles of liquids, everything for every physical matter. He was working hard for something, but wondering what would waste time. I came into the next room, grey and damp, dim lamps hanging, a ghostly orb vibrating from them. My eyes narrowed on my suspicions, but at last, he came to my side, chuckling weirdly from my distance. "This one will guarantee me everything."_

_At one time I had to see her, and at one time, I thought of nothing. A girl came wobbling out, at a steady age of five, a proper pace in her steps towards us. I kept my position, but in my head, this had to be an inside joke of some sort._

_She was, first of all, beautiful, even at the older infant age she was processing in. Her blonde, almost golden hair was tied into a messy bun, bangs hanging to her forehead, covering her headband with the insignia of her master's village, Otogakure. She was dressed in a light golden sash, and protective cotton ribbons stretched to make her childish body form. But the part that took my breath away was her eyes. The Raikugan, a fantasy for all ambitious, power-hungry Shinobi. _

_They were beautiful, glowing red eyes the color of rubies. They shone proudly; I couldn't hold back, they were mesmerizing. She pulled up from my glare, and sighed in innocence to her master. "You called for my presence." _

_I spilt my words before the floor. "This is her? The girl with the Raikugan?"_

_He expected a response like mine, hissing in symbolic pleasure. "She's beautiful, and talented as hell. She's like a daughter to me."_

_She marched still, and stopped in front. I never continued to resist, but for a fact, she wasn't in control of me with those accursed eyes. I looked at the bodies outside of her, twitching continuously, eyes glazed over and inconceivably… dead, killed by their own master's accidental purposes. They were mere prisoners, and she knew that. I could tell she was more mature and intelligent than others her age, her mentality being at probably nine and her real physical appearance being five. I turned to Orochimaru._

"_Who is she?" I pondered out loud, my eyelids drooping in suspense of the Raikugan and the fact that I was being deathly serious about her being here in front of me, her initial purpose._

_My former partner locked eyes onto her, avoiding any contact. "Tetane Namikaze of Konahagakure… daughter of Minato Namikaze, the one who took in my possible position as Hokage. Her brother… is the kyuubi Jinchuuriki… Uzumaki Naruto."_

_My heart raced out of my own chest. I had heard that name through new stories, and particularly, the Akatsuki was interested. Who could imagine that this girl could decide the fate of all of us if we have her in our hands? Did someone plan for this to happen, then why, why, did Tetane have to be placed under the orders of our organization's traitor, and will he interfere with our plans? All questions remain immortal, but have no exact answer to them._

_The little child grabbed onto Orochimaru's cold hand and tugged, her way of communicating that she required something. "Master Orochimaru?"_

'_Master. Perfect', I scoffed silently._

_He kneeled down beside her, eyes set in false sympathy. "What is it, Tetane?"_

"_I need help with that new jutsu you taught me," she whined, trying to get to her needs with his expertise, "You know… the one with the many jutsu signs and also, can you teach me Chidori? My parents said that… that my dad's clan's main abilities came from lightning techniques." She smiled proudly, not knowing the fact that her parents were dead, deceased, destroyed. "Will you help?"_

_He ruffled her hair like it was the most precious thing to him. He answered in a fake smile. "Sure, my blossom. I just need to talk with my friend Sasori."_

_She made direct eye contact, and right before I even realized it, I turned away, but I saw her red orbs before I could really avert my eyes, but nothing happened. I came back, and her eyes were no longer of the Raikugan form, but a golden-honey color, very lovely, and very heart warming. The opposite color of darkness, which might forebode something that would go on forever in our ninja history. She smiled widely at me, even though I held my position of a bored, rude stare, like I was superior to her… but I never could be, not with those red eyes. _

"_Wow! Pleased to meet you. I'm Tetane Namikaze, and I'm… five years old!" She slowly counted her raised fingertips and held up the approximate amount. She grinned widely, and a slight twitch to the right corner of her lips, almost behaving sarcastically with me. I tried to pull off a sincere smile as I bowed as she did cheerfully. _

"_It's a pleasure, young girl."_

_She bowed to both of us, and then a look of petite shock came upon her expression. "I and Kimimaru want to go for a walk. You can teach me later, Master Orochimaru, if that is fine with you for now."_

"_If I were you, Tetane Namikaze, I would keep your eyes open… but not too open."_

_I wanted to cover my mouth as she turned to leave, but my lips could never close. For a girl like that to be on the clutches of him would destroy everything. She came to me, a confused look vibrating from her eyes. _

"_Master Orochimaru's friend, what are you talking about?" she stated thoughtlessly, tilting her young head to the right in a sign of doubt. Doubt. She shouldn't trust him in a million years._

"_This is not where you should fool around," I warned in caution, her gaze soaking every living life I had in me. She stood and held her own hands. "Your master will teach you great things, but be careful."_

"_Careful with what, Mr. Sasori?"_

"_-That ends our discussion, Tetane. Go play with Kimimaru."Orochimaru patted her on the back and pushed her forcefully along; wanting a private moment with me. Tetane glared at him for once, and smiled as her eyes shifted to me, a cute little smile growing on her face by the sight of me._

"_Bye friend Sasori!" she called, waving aggressively in the air. I sighed as she ran into the darkness. "Kimimaru, wait up!"_

_I grinned on the corner of my puppet mouth, showing some emotion towards the little girl, but once she had completely left out of my sight, I frowned, narrowing my eyes at Orochimaru, who shared my expression. "You realize you're going to have to kill that girl, right… for your irrelevant little plan?" I murmured depressingly, as I remembered her appearance and her smile, but mostly her changing eyes. _

"_Maybe I won't yet, Sasori."_

_I turned to him casually. "I thought that you would need her life to copy that eye into the moon, remember your lifetime plan? The one you had stolen from-"_

"_-Yes yes," he replied, covering his temples with his hand, rubbing them in a sign of a headache. "But she's growing on me too much. I can't kill something like that. She's pure."_

_There were a few minutes of silence, the dripping of lab experiments and some torturous screams heard from the right door, and some laughs of other children, such as Tetane and her little friend Kimimaru on the left. I guess my old partner was holding some secrets, then. I laughed. This was going to work out as a failure to him. She will be the lead to his deathbed. I glanced at Orochimaru for a quick moment. He was chuckling to himself, sighing, still wishing that his ray of sunlight was still with him. Easy lies. _

_Then I thought about her, and that her power might be useful later in future years, as an official member. I could see the future clear enough, her in that robe, a grin stuck on her face as all citizens bowed down to her in numerous rows. She could be a dictator if she really wanted, but as for time, we could wait as long as possible for a gift like that upon our feet. _

"_The Akatsuki will not like you raising her this way. They need her too."_

_He grinned, rolling his snake-like eyes in mocking annoyance. "Only time can tell, my friend. The future will hold many interesting things."_

Every single gesture from him led up to everything we have now. How interesting, that little girl growing up at a unique pace. Last time I saw her she was young and breakable. Now… she might kill us all. If she gets to out of hand… well, there might be an untimely death on her part… and with an opportunity like that; I could use another human puppet. I smiled on the corner of my mouth and Tetane glared at me, golden eyes burning. I compared the girl from my memories to this one. They were the same, they were to be differed. Same ambitions, different points of view.

The girl had snapped out of my personal trance and turned my attention towards her with her golden eyes. "I want to get this lesson off of my hands. What do you need to see… and what do I need to see?"

I sighed, eyes at a point of appearing more tired than usual. I came out with the truth, and how that could affect all for us with the outcome of hopefully, a lifetime. "I want to see that eye of yours," I told her honestly, raising my hand to make false peace in what I was about to say… I knew me talking about him would torture her with all of those useless events long ago. "It's funny, though. I remember coming across Orochimaru and he told me about every little detail of that power."

She laughed unexpectedly, and crossed her arms, a sarcastic smile stretching across her lips. "Oh, he doesn't even know the beginning of what I can accomplish. The Raikugan is a difficult burden to carry, but it's comes down to having the ability to make everything better."

I sighed, looking at my feet, lowering my arm in failure of my warning. "The irony in those words, I wish to know. Tell, me… how does your eye function?" I leaned in, eyes narrowed even more, "What do you do to activate it?"

"You want the answer to a question like that?" I could tell she was not pleased at my simple question.

"Of course. Your eye has a defect to me. You see, I am made out of wood, and I don't think you can manipulate an object, can you?"

Tetane scoffed. "How do you know it will not cut through the splinters? As long as something lives, I can control it. That is what also isolates the Raikugan from the three others. It can control your soul."

"You say that like it's a bad thing," I retorted, arms crossed like her.

It was silent for an awkward moment, and she frowned as soon as I mentioned my guess, a true fact I had only wanted to verbally experiment on. We had already met and became enemies. We held ambitions for power, and yet, she does not connect with my ideas. I guess force and patience is the only way to temper with her. I stared silently at the Namikaze girl, and she bit her bottom lip in hesitation. Then she spoke in echoes, murmuring words I was shocked in hearing.

"I've always craved a better eye, something more powerful than mine."

I gave off a little chuckle in surprise. "Whose?" I smiled greedily.

She breathed deeply, and then faced me, eyes burning into my vulnerable ones. "Pain's Rinnegan."

I openedly laughed, not intending to. I never grew to know Leader much in the years; I just did my missions, met for the jinchuuriri extractions, not much. I never really talked face to face with him, and yet, this girl had just come here an elapsing week ago and knows of the wielder of the all powerful Rinnegan… and knew of its purposes and abilities. This girl knew too much. But to choose the Rinnegan over the Raikugan… risky, risky. Some seek for power, but never even get close to touching it, and some never dream, but are chosen by fate. She was, I wasn't. That's how irony works, I guess.

"Well, that's a surprise," I sighed finally, pacing around my little spot where I had stood still in for too long. I looked up at the Namikaze girl. "You realize that you are never going to possess that eye, right?"

She cringed from the deadly dream shattering word never, but grinned in bravado. "Well, the future can only tell, but I'm pretty good with the eye I am using. The Raikugan. The Raikugan. That's all I ever tend to hear. That's the reason I'm here with you, with Akatsuki… with Kisame…"

All of her private emotions were a distraction for her mentally and a personal bother to me. It annoyed me, how much misusage she anticipated with possessing it. If I gained that eye… the world would surely be buried with my power. It would rip, tear. But something new would be created from the old society, a new power, a new nation of my design that would never die. Never grow old and crumple in your hand. My fist crushed itself tightly, causing few splinters in the wood. Need to fix that.

"Let me see it," I randomly answered. Her eyebrows came down, narrowing her eyelids in suspicion. Maybe she was hard of hearing.

"What?" Surely the tone was one of responding to an insult. She heard me loud and clear.

I forcefully stepped towards her slowly, one step at a time. My head cocked just an insignificant amount. "Let me see it, girl, the famous Raikugan, the eye that could tear the fabric of a thousand nations just by one stare. You can control everything you wanted and rule with dignity… but you waste your eye here, treated like street trash by one of the top criminals in the world. Can you bear it? Can you control him like he is controlling you?"

She took her pace backwards, calmly handling the situation. Good patience. I will have to push that level later. "I have no choice but to obey him," she stuttered, eyes down to my footsteps, reflecting upon her irrelevant excuses to me, "That is why I'm here… under his direct orders."

I could see Kisame's victory clearly. He was victorious against the user of the Raikugan. What a dream, what an accomplishment. Control of the people, which would be his reward…, too bad he had never known, nor would have the ambition to seek, like me, the higher seed. Kisame was powerful, but not as effective as me.

"Can you resist?" I asked similarly, stopping in front of the cold serious Namikaze, "The reason you are blessed is because of that eye. The reason you are damned is because of that eye. The Raikugan holds everything to hell or heaven, to time and control. You waste it daily on irrelevant events such as spending time wooing your false love-"

She growled in contempt. "Deidara is not my priority."

"Then what is?"

She swallowed. "My ambitions," she sputtered out, similar from a response from a harsh command.

It was fatally silent, the quiet slicing through the setting. Our eyes never disconnected. She had a little tale to tell for that answer, and now I wanted to find out what it was. But first, the eye. What of it? What effect will it stand for? How much effect will be used by the possessor? Tetane Namikaze better be careful with me, or hell will bend for her. Oh yes, hell will break for both of us. Then an idea changed my mentality like the cold rain against the soft desert sand. I grinned childishly, devilishly… greedily. We'll fight for our rights and rewards.

She still stood silent, observing my very simple reactions. I decided to mess with her for my mere entertainment. I twitched my left hand, and her eyes darted, aimed for me to kill. How amusing, she is protective of herself, and not reckless. For every simple action, there was a reaction, giving the enemy free access and information about the opponent's style. My smile widened and I stood straight, chin held high.

"I'll tell you what… I want to fight you, test you on all of your defenses. If I win the fight, I have something you have to accept. If you win, I have to do one thing that I will accept. Fair fight, Tetane Namikaze?"

I held out a hand, a sign of a 'peaceful' gesture. She disarmed, and smiled that sarcastic smile that annoys me so much. "I look very much forward to this, Sasori. I fight with everything I have necessary."

She didn't shake my hand. Expected. Good girl.

"Well first," I introduced slowly, backing away from my temporary opponent, "Let's just say I 'pull the strings' a different way."

I twitched my finger to bring forward Hiruko, and my body puppet came drifting in the speed of lightning, scorpion tail shooting, taking aim on her heart. She knew what was happening, and by her perception, she avoided him with a swift dodge, eyes widened with the feel of adrenaline.

I smiled. Time to test her abilities and that eye of hers. I jumped into the opening hatch of Hiruko, and I sunk in, silently pulling numerous strings to attack. I moved in, but I stayed in my position. Never would Hiruko have the physical intent to be quick, but pulling the strings might make it easier. His scorpion tail revealed itself, and the girl hesitated. It struck, trying to be a mild distraction to her, and she disappeared into the darkness of the wall. I narrowed my eyebrows, and a surprise came my way after one second disappearing. She had used the side of the wall as a platform, and pushed upon it with so much power that chakra came exploding off her feet. This girl was full of surprises. She was being careless, trying to physically attack me like that. Who would be so reckless as to come off like that? It would only lead to a poorly acted death. I readily leaned in, and she did something that caught me off guard.

She had flipped into the open air, and came towards my back side, dodging the swift attacks of my scorpion tail. It flayed, but as soon as I took another tug on Hiruko's tail, it never moved. My eyes widened and I turned Hiruko's head backwards to see what was going on. There she was, breathing heavily, grabbing and pulling Hiruko's scorpion tail to cease onto her. She grunted, and a pulled another brand of chakra strings, making my puppet spit out a number of poisonous needles at fatal speed. It was a perfect aim, and she fell, grinning mockingly at me. Her form formed in slow motion, and my adrenaline started rushing out of control. I tried to move to see where she had hidden from me, but my machinery control disappeared. Hiruko was paralyzed.

How could this possibly happen without the usage of fantasy? She couldn't have. I let out a gasp inside my immovable puppet. That was a bloodclone.

Suddenly my head had jerked up, my eyes on the darkness of the wall. Amazing, she had control of the actions and jerking motions of Hiruko so fast that I had barely predicted the predicaments of this particular situation. Breathtaking. Then out of the obscurity of the side, the real girl had appeared from the shadows, smiling in greed. She had wanted this from the point I had scornfully said her name, the actions I had caused for this to happen, and the fact I was her nemesis' former partner. The shadows had fully left her, and the red light shined her way through. The Raikugan. My dreams finally dreamt of.

I wanted to resist, but I saw the purpose of her controlling Hiruko with the bloodclone. She needed my full attention to experience the powers of her eye. I accepted, never intending to, but I craved to be a victim of the most powerful dojutsu in the Shinobi world.

Her face and body disappeared in the full wind, though I felt none against my wooden structure. A setting appeared of blackness, a pit in her hell, and I stood with Hiruko still in position. I jerked a string with might, and to my delight, her bloodclone had gone as the gen-jutsu took its place, the coldness of this mental prison wrapping around me like a hungry snake around its prey. A humorous but innocent spit of laughter swept through the jutsu, and I spoke in full demand, my eyes narrowing.

"Don't hide from me. Gen-jutsu can't be played your way."

My words echoed, and were carried out by the silence of this asylum. Then I squinted. A single light stood in the way, and then, it formed, making the face of my opponent. Numerous copies were made in the darkness, and they surrounded Hiruko and I, everywhere in vision. Her eyes opened, and two blinding red lights filled the gen-jutsu setting. They turned to me, dead serious, rather than the tone of mockery that had drifted through the cold breeze. "I follow my way," they all responded, united under one individual voice, calm and clear as a bell. "You were never used to a gen-jutsu like mine ever was. You will never win if you choose to struggle like this. Let's call this my way of cheating." Their facial smiled twisted upwards into a nasty grin, preparing for a state of mental torture.

I was confused, dazed, mesmerized that all of this was happening, not in the full physical form of battle, but that my brain and mind were associated with this beginning part of the battle. Out of nowhere, the faces darkened, but had not fully vanished. A cut, a slice, split a mark on Hiruko, who I made sure was completely armored, was now being repeatedly cut, faster and faster, accelerating the speed and velocity of each oblivious attack. I swished my tail, which did absolutely nothing of importance in defense. The most interesting experience is that it hurt, cruelly hurt, and being made of wood on my physical standards, I haven't felt real external pain since twenty years ago. I cringed, and Hiruko cringed along with me. The slices have never stopped, and went increasingly more populated until it was impossible to escape without screaming. I had yelled, and with those little works, had caused me physical pain inside the basis of my mentality. Nicely done, girl.

Speaking of, she had laughed again in the distance of nowhere, and her faces, that were still there, watched the scene in silence, enjoying me learning the values of the Raikugan. They spoke again in anxiousness. "And what's the point in wood if you can't burn it?"

My terrified expression had shown. Hiruko's mask fell, and I made him run, run out of this nightmare. I felt a searing pain on Hiruko's back, and if he felt it, in this mental universe, I did as well. Fire, flames of light, flames of the depths of hell, had surrounded my body and burned through. I screamed in fright and pain, which was still newly fresh to me, and the continuous flames would not stop until I had been burned and made into fuel for the fire to go on. I jumped out of the latch of Hiruko, who I had laid helplessly on the ground, burning with an extremely scared look on his face, bloodshot eyes widened. I breathed heavily, heaving, and cringed violently from the actual pain I had endured. My eyes were disoriented. My body smelt of smoke, and my body wood was slightly crisped and scraped. My hands were leaning against my knees, and before I knew it, the setting changed around me again. My head pounded, and there before me stood the girl behind all of this, back in the training cave, eyes glowing in success in an example of showing off. She had the right to brag, too; she deserved all of my praise.

I slowly twitched my neck back, shaking from psychological torture. My wooden hands trembled in bad blood rush, and my open heart pounded fiercely. Then it snapped to me: Hiruko wasn't originally with me. I twisted my head again, and my eyes widened with amazement and extreme disappointment. My beautifully made puppet had lain in the corner, destroyed and burned to a smolder. Hiruko's face was no longer distinguished, and I stood in shock. Never could anything I've seen be as of compatible to that. The Raikugan now has astonished me.

She stepped out in front of my crouching body, giving me one her pleasant smirks of sarcasm. I felt sickened by all of this, and for the first time in my non-living life, I felt numb, pain, throwing up, and possibly be thinking of only way out… dying. Death was better than this.

"An illusion is a powerful thing," she stated, narrowing her eyes, wanting me to hear this, "It can drive you to ultimate insanity, or you can make yourself more manipulative to the enemy… or in my case, a combination of both. Maybe the illusion was real and I burned it. Maybe I made you burn it by force. You will never know, but one thing I can tell you… the seconds have barely passed us."

I don't think I heard properly. She promised me that time stood still, or it would guarantee that nothing had changed between the lengths of time itself. But she was quick-thinking, sadly speaking. It felt like six hours had gone by so slowly. Reality was twisted, then, that must be the explanation, not the powers of this little girl. I shook my head repeatedly. No way is something this hell bent. I blinked repeatedly, trying to shake off the haunting feeling until it was completely out of my thoughts, not distracting me at the time. It left uncomfortably, and I shook heavily with mental burden on me as I tried so hard to only stand up.

"Heh," I gruffed lightly, a false little smile struck across my face, "I admit to all that you have said… it is a very complex eye. But one suggestion I might want to point out is to watch yourself."

Her eyes widened as my finger twitched backwards. Never did she know that I planned ahead, going still one step ahead of this irrelevant girl. My smile lessened, but I was grinning from insanity still clinging onto me like insects on a spider web and the fact I will have beaten the user… the solo and only user in the world with the eye I have been thirsty for.

Tetane Namikaze knew the hidden strings under my sleeves, and had predicted the needles that Hiruko had thrown. They repeatedly followed her as my hand gracefully pulled them to her over and over. She saw every needle, and she thought of my punishments as playtime. Well, then, I guess I will have to step up my game then, with this particular girl I'm up against.

I continued moving my body along to the rhythm of my needles, hundreds, thousands coming to aim at the heart. Yet, all she did was avoiding them with calm dodges. She knew what she was doing, but no one, nothing could act superior to what I have planned to unleash upon her. Each needle came into the right position, and each string was set. All over, the setting was covered with needles controlled consistently with my hundreds of chakra strings. She came in the middle, eyes widened with the Raikugan blazing my way, wanting to burn into my mentality like a forest fire.

"Is this all you have, the great and illustrious Acasuna No Sasori? I want a decent challenge. I'm tired of all of your pointless attacks. Give me an attack so vigorous that I might tremble with fright in your presence that I actually use your name with no hint of sarcasm added."

I shook while I stood with an insane look to my face. "Then expect nothing less, girl."

I pulled while the needles were aligned the right way, and her body was lifted into the air, tugged incredibly tight from the invisible chakra strings. They wrapped like a snake around the perimeter of her body, and with a surprised look in her eyes, was stuck within my creation within creation. She struggled pointlessly, and looked down at me with a scowl on her face. "This was cowardly… and stupid. Do you honestly want to lose to me?"

I laughed lightly, tugging more, more pressure being applied, trying to throw off her blood pressure to ensure warning to her health. She cringed, closing her eyes from pain, and I couldn't stop smiling. "You're not getting away from me that soon. This is embedded in chakra, so there's no way out. Now, if you willingly give up, I understand and I accept your-"

"You expect me to quit now?" she yelled, chuckling at my arrangement, "You clearly don't know me. Like my master, I enjoy a good fight. You want to keep things short, I understand, usually by surrender, so you use them later when dead for your private collection of vanity items and usages for other battles… I'm not like you at all," she mused, continuing to show no resistance, "I like one on one fights, I enjoy battles that require me to prepare myself mentally and physically. I respect challenge… and I love keeping things interesting for the both of us."

My eyes narrowed in this while hers clung onto mine in no time. She smirked as the darkness of the shadows crept onto her face. Her eyes disappeared into the black, and I never expected them to come back, only red orbs linked onto mine. They grabbed me, yet again, and I wanted to come back to reality again. I saw black for a millisecond, and I suddenly hung suspended onto the air with my own strings. I turned my head everywhere, and below, Tetane's eyes softened into that golden color, the Raikugan leaving my sights. I grunted in displeasure; she was better than I expected. No one could have escaped that without physical strain.

"You know…" she leaned on, back pressed against the wall, smiling in appreciation of her own guile, "If you hadn't noticed my eyes, you wouldn't be in this predicament right now. You look pretty tied up right now…" she forced a chuckle and pulled out one of her two lightning kunai. I widened my eyes in false horror. She was aiming to not kill, but to torture. Damn that girl. I pretended to struggle some more with my strings as she glared at me through the darkness of the cave, her eyes stabbing the blackness with her changed red rubies for eyes. She had no idea what plans I had up my sleeves. I waited patiently as she approached me wearily, carrying the weapon that could end me.

"Now… prepare to die, Acasuna No Sasori," the Namikaze girl sighed to me, the Lightning kunai glistening in the darkness.


	7. The Strings are Pulled

**Hey everyone!**

**It's been a while, I know. But it's continuing battle with Tetane and Sasori! So like always, here are the comments:**

**Xxyangxx2006 (chap.6): As always, thanks for reviewing and continuing to read! I'm flattered, and the bit about Orochi and Tetane, I'll grow when Kisame and Tetane invade and try to kill him. The update is coming up soon, so thanks and I'm happy you're enjoying the story!**

**Okay, so anyways, please enjoy the rest of the battle! Who's gunna win? Find out and read, and also, PLEASE REVIEW! I love your freaking comments!**

**Miragechick2, outa here!**

07

She never knew about me from round one. All that was obvious was my announcement being that I was a living puppet who I can only draw the strings. I had the stings only partly tugged on, and I never used any gratuitous amount of chakra on her. And I play easily. But not hastily. I, myself, unlike my art, savor a quiet and quickly finished match, but I knew from this specific girl that this would not be the case.

She came; it seemed, in her victory, self-absorbed and ready, a smile shinning over the darkness. By the strange kunai, they seemed to stand out from the wielder, or maybe it was because it was the holder herself. I tugged on an internal string, and when she almost came intact with my vulnerable heart, I sprung, flying above her, my metal wings giving me the power to cut through the strings and free myself from my own trap. Tetane grunted disappointingly, and she gazed upon me, focused on her target for my eternal defeat. I stared from under. She knew nothing, and never would have guessed that I will win against those glorious eyes of hers.

I swooped down, trying to cut her down, make her weaker by the, hopefully, poison in her system. She seemed to stay away from the razors more than anyone, eyes widening from every attempt I made to make her lose. But how does she know? Time to experiment. She dodged swiftly, trying so desperately to grab onto the wings and pull to have my collapse of my external puppet. I came again, releasing my chord in my stomach, pushing against the open ground, balancing my pace. I stopped, my eyes glancing onto each part of her body for measure. I couldn't tell her weak point. "You know, if you keep standing there, then you won't be successful in anything. A waste, really. Look, if you want to win, then come up and stop playing with my mind like a toy. I enjoy some brutality in my battles," I beckoned, using psychology to change her mind about her plans.

"Hm," she mused mockingly, absorbed in our battle, "I don't know about that… compromise. If I attack, you retort. I twist reality into my advantage; I get what I want out of all of this. So to your agreement… I have to, well, disagree." She twisted her lips into a sarcastic grin. I scowled and then calmed myself down. "Then keep up, girl. I can pull more strings than you can count with those Raikugan eyes."

I let out a yell, my chord leading me with incredible speed to my upcoming victim, who stood, eyes widened, but then in determination. They dissolved into red, and I couldn't stop looking. My pace slowed, and I felt my heart skip a beat as she activated them. It was a very simple gen-jutsu that provokes and tricks the mind into becoming paralyzed. My body was caught, and I froze immediately. The mechanical chord lowered in strength, and I slid hardly on the ground, eyes staring at the side wall. For my soul, however, was stuck in my mind. I floated into red, eyes half open, sighing as I felt like the wind was blowing me. I can't help but underestimate her.

Now from my experience, gen-jutsu as simple as this, no matter how much strength and chakra is put into it can be broken with the help of a partner. I had none at the time, but I knew better when facing Tetane. When we had talked, I set up two summoning scrolls from my backside without Tetane knowing. When my blades activated, I sliced some of my blood onto the paper, thus later producing my human puppets. Their specialty was that they could be controlled without my strings. So if they came out at the right time, they would be able to know that their master was in a gen-jutsu, needing to stop the irregular chakra flow. Hopefully, if they got by her, I will be released without permission from the Namikaze girl.

My sensed tingled, and my mind blacked as I returned to reality with one of my human puppets grabbing onto my shoulder for the benefit of freeing me from mental imprisonment. The other puppet was on the floor, burned for some spectacular reason. The girl saw my moving body and cursed, knowing I was mentally awake. I pushed off of my human puppet as I brought my strings of chakra to the wooden doll for combat. "Little girl. You may have me weak with your precious gen-jutsu, but what about my puppetry? I can beat you, and you know it. Secretly," I muttered, smirking a tad.

She stood seriously, placing two fingers on her neck, to where her veins connected. "You are smart, and I only say that to the intelligent people with the certain abilities to take on my gen-jutsu. Hn. Let's see what else you are capable of, Sasori-san."

I pulled out my scrolls in an instant out of my semi-ripped Akatsuki cloak pockets. I flung them into the open air, and my minions came out in tens, eyes blank, then landing on the ground, facing Tetane with weapons up and ready to attack. I smiled with narrowed eyes. Let's see her take on this.

"I killed an army to get what I wanted the most, what I craved so deeply," I murmured deeply, but so that the girl could hear, "A hundred to one. Not very good odds for you, huh, little gen-jutsu artist?"

She laughed manically, trying to prove better. "Heh. Very comedic. Since we have the time to know each other, I can now formally share that I have more than one kekki-genkai."

She formed various hand signs while my strings swept from my twitching fingers, forcing them to attack. My arms followed her every move, every puppet coming at her with poison-dripping swords. Black hoods stood out against her, and she held no panic, even though I could feel it coursing through her veins with adrenaline. She moved very quickly, flashing, feeling like she disappeared before my eyes, and then coming back again in a millisecond. Her father possessed this move, but that was not considered family-blood ability. Her hand forms finished, and as she dropped her arms, then appeared before me these creatures, these miniature giants, told apart by gender, and blood veins glowing red with the rest of their made up bodies dull rust. They evened up with my puppets, and soon there were one hundred to copy. I looked down at her in disgust.

"May I introduce the Bloodclones of Konahagakure… my army," she introduced simply, crossing her arms in cockiness, imagining my defeated body on the ground in front. Pathetic, I must employ. "You conclude that your art will create my jealousy and destroy my confidence," she continued, each alleged clone in battle stance, "But I will tear your little wooden dolls apart as soon as possible. Watch and learn, Sasori-sensei." She grinned sarcastically, her lips stretching outwards when calling me her teacher.

I sighed softly, moving my head a tilt to the left, curious about the solution to our controlling battle. "Only the best can win. Don't bet too lightly, girl." I stood back a step, and my fingers pulled and my arms were brought flying into my sides, my puppets moving in resort. They came forward, swords dipped plentifully in poison, the purple liquid glistening in the little light coming into the mini arena. She stepped back as I did, and completed multiple signs in order for control. She hung back while the bloodclones attacked in the air-fought warfare. Cowardly, I must say.

My eyes pinpointed to every one of my puppets and their moves to defend and attack. I saw splinters flying in the open air, and the clanging of a few swords being dropped on the ground. The effects of the gekki-kenkai were breathtaking. Heart-wrenching in my position. The unique brand of clones moved as one joint moved after another, pace set on every motivation.

The girl laughed at me brutally to this advantage. "I suggest that next time these toys shouldn't be made of wood." She chuckled to herself more so as she continued her hand signs.

I cringed frustratingly. They were strong physically, and avoided my swords. Then it came to me, crashing my brain. Avoiding?

The bloodclones, if had been slain, would have been brought back together by the mix of chakra and blood cells building up to rebuild the clones at a faster pace of a few elapsing seconds. The swords had a weakness to them.

I slowly smiled. Success came as I realized her tactics of avoidance. Was the poison effectible? I pulled each string in movements of quickness, my heart pounding violently across my artificial chest. She reacted the same, more hand signs, more dodging, and more strikings from her side. Then I ambushed one of hers with two puppets, producing an uneven fight. I slashed with both, and the clone had been cut, the purple, burning marks showing through the chest. To my surprising pleasure, Tetane Namikaze's single clone dissolved among the air, ripped into poison colored taters, and left me with one less to deal with.

"A weakness!" I yelled in battle victory. I couldn't stop lifting my cheekbones. It would soon be all over.

She gasped lightly, gritting her teeth, biting her lip, eyes bright with shock. "What the hell…?"

She faulted, and I took it took it to my ultimate advantage. More and more of those troublesome clones fortunately disappeared in dissolving appearance once the swords had punctured each and every one. Less and less of my creations had been obliterated, and the game was turning to me. I would end this.

The girl struggled and moved back as I moved forwards, eyes on the prize of a lifetime. My puppets advanced until the last one withered away in the breeze helplessly trying to cling onto life. I looked up and grinned deviously while she cursed the very ground.

"Fuck…" she muttered, spitting on the ground.

I twitched my fingers by one fast movement. All swords were directed to her heart.

"Now the battle has commenced onto me," I muttered with eyes wide, "I would recommend pleading for this all to end."

. . .

Kisame's Point of View: 

I walked slowly through the rain, Samehada carrying the weight on my back same as always. It kept me balanced, though, and I've grown used to it for seven years. It grumbled underneath the coverage, and by the way the tone was, it needed chakra, more victims to suck. I sighed impatiently.

"Chakra isn't going to come out of anywhere, you know. It's been a while, well, ever since Tetane…"

Samehada grumbled more fiercely, more fully. I rolled my eyes.

"I see, I see, you're hungry. Tetane's chakra was filling, but she's ours now. She has my chakra, binding her to me. So wait patiently, you'll get your chance soon, Samehada."

I paused to check my sanity, rubbing my temples. "Talking to a sword. I must be going crazy." I continued my pace, blinking lightly, one hand resting on my forehead. Ever since Tetane joined, I felt shaky and nervous, feeling pale. This feeling I knew I had to shake off, but it clung to me like my connection with Samehada. What the hell was this? Guilt?

I grunted. Of course it wasn't guilt. I'd gotten what I wanted… but I didn't feel fulfilled. I had Tetane in Akatsuki and under my commands by chakra bonding, but she was trying to separate from me. She hated me, of course; I had crushed her dreams of killing me, ending Akatsuki, and keeping world at peace. But she's growing with me. Last night she had… fun? Was that the right word? I had seen her really smile, in happiness, not in glory, for one of the few times. We were merely joking. Was that the key to get into her, to make my ambitions clear of who I am by just relating? I spat. She hated me for everything. For keeping her captive here, for giving her the curse mark, and for losing her first battle… and she's already had a tough childhood, hanging out with Orochimaru and being tested on, survival, torture, or just. She should be dead by now, rolling in her own grave in regret.

But there were some brightness in the black of the dark. She had met Deidara, some rambunctious kid who was too cocky for his own pants. They related, and fell in love happily. I felt jealousy for their relationship right now… those effects by Tetsu… everything I had fell from my grip, no matter how strong I truly was. I never could hold onto the person I had craved for, loved for, and fought for everyday. I still felt her warm blood dripping on the cold concrete; on my cold hands. No matter what happens with them, I hope they have their happiness, but then their regret for each other. We're all marked as terrible people, after all. No one will be truly good. And I'm on the special section of the bingo book for my betrayals and crimes. And one more edit for that… oh yeah, I kidnapped the Leaf's Pride and made her join Akatsuki to turn on her loved ones. Forgot about that one.

I went on my way when a breeze swept my feet gently and there behind me stood Itachi Uchiha with that famous bored glare of his. I never really related to him in personality, but we shared a commonality… we killed our comrades without a second thought of the consequences. He bowed by tilting his head to me. "Kisame."

I grinned like always. "Itachi-san… what is it that you want?"

He looked away from me with those even duller eyes. It's been getting worse, that eyesight. He can barely see his opponent from the distance of a mile, and this is a Sharingan user, an Uchiha. If he keeps overusing it, he'll go practically blind, no sarcasm intended. He came again with that cold aura and explained himself. "I need to speak with you for a moment… do you have the time?"

I shrugged. This was once in a blue moon, Itachi wanting to speak with me when not being on a mission to go and probably capture a Jinchuuriki or something illegal. This will be an interesting conversation. "Sure, sure. You know, I was trying to think about something… since we're partners and all, and now we have Tetane to take care of…" We walked to the east while Itachi raised his eyebrows.

"I wanted to talk about Tetane Namikaze, actually."

"So what? She's Akatsuki's now, and Leader and I can decide what purpose she can serve," I calmly smirked. Itachi wasn't in a good mood after that. He gave me that cold stare again. Colder than ice.

"I wanted a favor, Kisame. You're one of the closest to me right now, and Tetane needs training. I conversated with Leader on this, and he agrees completely. Now, if you agree or not, I will be to my advantage. My Sharingan can pierce right through that mechanism of a sword you have. So it's my win if you cannot agree to my compromise."

I narrowed my eyes. Was he threatening me with his eye? My brain pounded against my skull in search of answers. "What is it, exactly?" I muttered exactly, a growl hinted into my tone.

"I want to train Tetane once a week. On gen-jutsu. That's all I ask. With your permission and Leader's, we can go right on it."

My first reaction was laughing. Laughing. Was I finally derived of sanity all of these long years? I shook the thought off. He asked for Tetane to help. What was his motive here?

"Heh. What for, Itachi-san?"

He walked at my pace, slower, but the rain continued to pour harder still, and he ignored it, looking up at me, and a hint of scarlet lighter than the surrounding pupil. By the way he secretly pleaded, he wanted this opportunity badly. His expression was in stone, but he was frozen like a statue. I knew him too well. He breathed in the vapor floating in the watery atmosphere. "In order to retain her from any other rebellious actions, for the organization to be stronger, and for our advantage and hers, I thought about it. She had the Raikugan, one of the four eyes in the Shinobi world. From our sources, she was the only survivor and possessor to retain it to her jutsu's. She was the only one left of her clan, and the eye passes by kekki-genkai, the oldest sibling gaining control of it, unlike my family, which by genes, all have. I despise admitting it, but if she gained the proper training, she'd be powerful…"

"And if she rebelled…?" I added, raising an eyebrow.

He shook his head, walking in an even pace, eyes forwards towards the clearer path. "Then I'll take personal admission to it. She hasn't broke out of my gen-jutsu yet. I'll tolerate her… I just need her to our advantage. Tetane Namikaze is one of our only chances to complete our goals."

"And yet, why her? You seem so interested; so out of pace."

"The Raikugan. We need control, and by controlling the eye, we need to maintain the user. And also, she makes as an interesting person. She'll be our partner for the Jinchuuriki hunts later. I need to know her more than I do now."

More questions clouded my head as I straightened my posture with that sword on my back. "Are you interested? In her, that is? She really likes you, you know."

He stiffened. Got him on his tracks. I smiled deviously, catching him emotionally. "By what, exactly? Affections? Abilities?"

I widened my eyes as my smile stretched across my face, teeth coming out in spikes. "As in love, Itachi-san. Tetane has a… crush on you. She thinks you're attractive, for some reason."

His pupils trembled, but his stone face stayed the same. He paused for a second, blinking, and thinking. Then he came back to reality, linking eyes with me. I could never fully look Itachi in the face. With those Sharingan eyes expecting me to come a see them, I feel like I need to resist them and flinch, scared of them, Itachi wanting to eat my fear. Tetane was a different deal. I could laugh while those things were activated; they had no virtual effect on me, no matter what. Samehada was a favor to me, and a gift to possess after Tetsu, that is, right after I killed him.

Itachi stared right ahead walking in a faster pace. "Hm, really? That's cute." He traced those red eyes onto the ground, observing the puddles and rain splashing lightly onto the ground.

My mind was suffering emotional breakdown. Cute? Itachi Uchiha never appreciated love, not in the way that he killed his family. He threw his girlfriend out like a piece of trash and killed her along with doing so. Does he know how love works? It is a privilege to make love last, and then find more later. I lost it, and got tangled in it, being choked by stupid emotions. The thing that bothered me was that he thought it was amusing that a girl like Tetane falls completely for him, and doesn't necessarily care. My fists clenched together.

"So the deal is on, I suppose, or should I use the terms of-"

I snapped out of it, finally. "-no, no. I want you to. It's good for her, you know, and if it's good for her, then it's good for Akatsuki." I shook my head while he turned his. My esteem for Itachi lowered as this conversation rolled on. He turned to me, rain dripping off of his face, not caring about the water trickling down his cheekbones and chin. "Then we have a cooperation then. Well, I must go. Thanks for your permission, partner. Thus calls the night to claim my consciousness."

I blinked to my side, and he disappeared completely, only a trail of gust following his trail. I sighed contently. Gen-jutsu was always his specialty.

I made my way to the cave where Sasori told me she would be practicing in with him. I pondered for a minute as the entrance was seen as being blown up, ruptured by the same jutsu used for all of our combinations to gain access into the lairs in Ame. What would they being now? Probably fighting… Tetane was always irritated by people who thought they were better. Sasori was one of those personalities where he wanted you to fall and surrender quickly. Tetane wanted a good fight, one that would last, one that would teach her lessons to drag out and have the information required to use against her opponent. I grunted. Of course they would be arguing and being annoyed by each other's opinions about a certain thing. They clashed, and would not stop until one person surrendered. Sasori would never stop. And Tetane would hold to a limit. If there's a friendly fight going on, I'll bet all my guts out on the table for Sasori.

The sounds of clashing swords and grunts of physical toil on the body remained noticeable as I moved more towards the field. This wasn't going to be pretty at all.

Then I came in, a grin stretching on my face, same as always, but this one was even more. Tetane was leaning against the side wall, knuckles pale white, grasping onto for life itself. Her torso was wrapped in what looked like chakra rope, and Sasori was pulling. Hard. Sasori, on the other hand, was revealed in his true form, a bloodclone wrapped around his body, holding him still in his position, his head turned away from Tetane, who revealed those stupid eyes of hers again. She takes real pride in that Raikugan, even though it doesn't work on me. I grinned even wider. It definitely affected Sasori by the way he was quivering. The bloodclone was trying to lift his head up to see, her, but his eyelids remained shut and his jaw held the strength to retain from seeing the red orbs. His puppets lay on the ground, the strings still formed onto the puppets, but all one hundred were lifeless, dropped on the dirty ground. Hiruko's shell was burned from a distance. I snickered to myself; he wasn't too happy with his results. He'll have to fix all those dolls by himself.

"You know," I started, trying to break the painful silence lingering in the atmosphere, "She's stronger than you thought, Sasori, isn't she?"

Tetane grunted, narrowing her eyelids. "Master Kisame." Her waist was squeezed even more. She squealed slightly, gritting her teeth together. "Leave us alone. I'm not done with this bastard yet."

Sasori didn't respond; he was shaking like a leaf. His eyes squeezed as tightly as possible and tried to turn his head, but the clone had gotten hold on his neck and head, trying to push forwards. He let out a little cringe of dissatisfaction to me, but mostly to his opponent. "She's better than I originally planned, that is, unless she fully proves it-"

"Resistance if futile," Tetane interrupted, coughing with laughter, "Let go, Acasuna No Sasori, and let that burden rest elsewhere but you. Rest, Sasori, and enjoy yourself. Forget the battle. Forget your pain, your hardships, and your situation. All you need to do is look up at me, listen to your ears, and open those eyes to me," she beckoned in a sweeter, calmer voice that whispered in through the dampness of the cave. Sasori weakened a little bit, and even I weakened internally. She makes good use of her words, hypnotizing her victims with reassuring, but false words so that she has her way in battle. Very good, Tetane.

"You can't… win against me," Sasori muttered, blood dripping slowly against the corners of his mouth. That bloodclone was giving him a rough time. "Your words are nothing but empty dreams. Nothing. Have you no truth in you? Losing to us, and losing, and losing… you'll be dead by eighteen. It's a miracle that you're alive still, because you're still too weak to attack me head on…"

I could hear Tetane's heart increase in tempo, so loud and thumping that it could stop a village's ears from any other distraction except her. Those words pierced her, and she gripped the wall intently, bright red eyes wide as the sky, arms diagonal from each other, her hands restraining her to attack her opponent. "Your words are even more bullshit! If you want me to kill you, then I will if you want to experience the pleasure!" She pressed her body against the wall, elbows facing the inner cave. "I'll make you die, suicidal mind control, like always! Ready to have death to the heart, Acasuna No Sasori? 'Cause you'll be in hell as soon as possible!"

Her elbows pressed back more against the cold wall, and just what I expected, chakra came blazing at her feet. And her hand she started a move that had almost obliterated me into death. It came spinning in her right hand, and she pressed against it with her fingers. It was a jutsu that her kid brother did to try and scare people into thinking that he was dangerous. The Rasengan shook as she tried to control it with her hand. Her eyes widened with fury while Sasori's narrowed.

She pushed, and flew through the air, going straight as a bullet, being pulled finally by the string that Sasori had tried so badly to pull. Her speed increased, and once she flew, she couldn't stop… and she knew it. This would be the final blow for both of them. Tetane screamed loudly for her success to be reality while Sasori stood there and smirked. The blades cut, the Rasengan hit, and the both fell down slowly to the cold floor.

I stepped away from the wall, coming near the two opponents. Was Sasori really dead? I knew that Tetane was still alive, because my own heartbeat pulsed as well as hers. I stepped back to find out if my prediction was as it was… and I had played my cards right. Sasori, no weight of the bloodclone on him, struggled to stand on his wooden feet. And then a blood coursing action decided to take place: Tetane whimpered, and then they transitioned into screams. He turned to me. There was a hole dug in his body, but not quite exactly to the heart. Right above it, actually.

"Close, girl. Extremely close, but in the end, I rise above."

She murmured under the floor, blank eyes looking on the floor as she coughed up blood. "How…?"

He smiled just so much to get Tetane angry. "I pulled a few strings and got what I wanted. My puppets are bonded to me like glue. No matter what force is upon me, they are there to help me. And once you blatantly came crashing in on me, the two puppets on the ground right there," he pointed to them, blades sticking out, dripping blood, "had struck at just the right amount of time. So fast, though. For a minor second it thought I would lose… oh well, then. And do you remember? We made a deal."

Tetane twitched, and glared furiously at Sasori, who stood right above her. "Hell no."

"And the great thing is, those swords contained paralyzing poison, so I knew I could get what I truly desired in the end with only on little scratch."

I saw. She tried to roll over onto her back, and when she did, two little marks crisscrossed her stomach, her uniform torn and skin punctured through, ripped thin like paper. They were only mere scratches, but something as powerful as the poison made Tetane lose. But how..?

"Bastard…" she grumbled, cringing, her fingers quivering on the ground. Tetane spat and looked furiously at me with those Raikugan eyes. "And you… you are of the equivalent. You watched and did nothing. He might take the only chance the Akatsuki has for the Raikugan, and I've only been here a week. How does that feel, master, that you might have betrayed your loyalties?"

I laughed roughly, picking up Tetane by her collar, telling that she couldn't move her legs. "My friend and teammate Sasori will never have your eye for robbery. He is a promising person, and he will return it to you, once you have learned of the harsh ways of loss and punishment."

Tetane shivered, and her arms gave out to the poison. She glared menacingly at the two men who beat her in her own game. "Then what are you going to do with my eye?"

"It will only take an hour of inspection, that's all," Sasori replied coolly, breathing the misty air, looking upward towards the ceiling and their cracks.

She spat again. "…You didn't answer my question." Her body ceased, and her eyes turned glassy. I smirked like always, but Tetane still held, on, one final death-threatening Raikugan glare. She was playing, I knew, she never wanted to truly kill me… but in this matter, it was evident for the winner.

The criminal of the Suna sighed, eyes lazily drooping. "Nor do I have to. Now, the poison should have reached your heart."

Her eyes widened for the last moments, and she tried to say something, but only her lips parted from each other by a half a centimeter. Her heartbeat still pitter-pattered rapidly, just in a new type of beat than usual. We stood in silence for a few elapsing seconds, and Sasori looked down at the frozen Tetane, squatted down, but cringed, and felt her pulse by the measurements of her vulnerable neck. He came up in a bored expression, like this whole challenge against him had never happened, that Tetane was useless and just a throw away. He was impatient with his fights, but he never had stepped down from feeling superior above everyone else. He clearly hasn't fought me yet in our seven years together as S-Rank criminals working in the same organization.

"Good," the redhead puppeteer nodded, frowning, "The body seized from movement. Kisame, if you could tie her up with my strings and I'll handle the rest, it would be grateful."

My head picked up, and my expectations leveled. This was just too good; and I trusted Sasori my entire time spent in Akatsuki. Tetane would be okay, not injured, but a little wary, and with Sasori taking and studying her eye would be good for our education and how it works. More understanding of the topic, the more it will be easier to capture. A motto of Akatsuki. Besides, this was a lesson continued from our last and first battle, and hopefully there won't be anymore. She owes me for a lot.

My optimism sky-rocketed. I started to laugh with a smile spreading. "Great! That's the best thing I've heard all day!"


	8. Acasuna No Sasori

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**-xxyangxx2006 (chap.7): Yeah, Itachi's not in much of the chapters yet, though he will make an awesome impact later! ^_^ and yes… Kisame will have his moments. And with Sasori, well, you'll find out! Thanks for commenting and I appreciate it! **

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08:

Tetane's Point of View:

Again I have been defeated. Can be fate become so cruel it can twist your heart and mind? My abilities are failing me, but I had to argue internally that Acasuna No Sasori was a worthy competitor and was one of the cleverest. He was honest, and never cocky, knowing how the game was going to be played. Nor will his looks ever again fool me; his mind and skills have circumvented my expectations, his wisdom ages above mine. But his goals will never grow into something particularly desired, like my own. And sadly, one of the simplest dreams fro right now was to defeat this criminal, but as the results came out, I had lost lightly, as they say it. I had lost to a harsh battle, but with only a secret weapon to defeat me. Damn that Sasori for his motive ambitions for punishment, but for once, I admit I could have beaten him without my vulnerable ears listening and reacting to his false statements about that fight.

And Kisame was visiting to come see my progresses, no doubt, and right where he came in, my downfall arose from the airs of this cave. Was it that I was nervous about… impressing? No, that's irrelevant to possibly think about. That soulless man meant nothing. Screw your head on straight and escape without injury to yourself.

That stupid vat of poison from the last light blow was the biggest weakness of mine. I had shut down so easily, so easy for the manipulator to possess. If I even made the least bit of contact with skin on the strange toxins, with the state I was made in by Orochimaru, the abilities come with a hefty price to pay. Since my blood pumps four times quicker than an average, it circulates the blood just as quickly, and when the bloodstream meets something like that, it takes four times faster for poison to reach my heart… and four times as long to regain normal state. I would consider myself extremely fortunate to have been intoxicated with paralysis poison, because if I was hit and a death drug was injected into my blood… then I would have been called for as dead in two minutes after.

My head hung with the non-ability to move my body. My muscles were frozen stiff like ice. My numb body was tied with Sasori's invisible string, courtesy of Kisame, and my eyes were glazed over, unable to fully see. What could happen? That man was too interested in the Raikugan… no, it was improbable, he wouldn't kill me for it… he's not that into insanity, and with Kisame there, it was be very difficult to get through. So I would have to wait to give Sasori what he truly wants.

The silence hung like the eerie fog. Sasori faced the wall, and Kisame, who had just finished tying me, broke the shadowed silence like glass. "Well, Sasori, what are you doing to do with my little friend here? She's paralyzed, thanks to you, and she's tied up against your web of chakra strings. When do you reach for the point of having her eye to inspect?"

Sasori shrugged, facing Kisame with a dark look to his sand filled colored eyes. "Right now, actually."

I wanted to twitch, but no part of me moved in mental command. I knew it. He's going to rip my very eye right out of its socket. Not rip, take again, but remove and examine. The questions that I can't scream desperately out are those consisting of selfish matters. Why couldn't I scream when everyone was there to hear me? Why can't I run when I have to fullest opportunity, the doors facing my face? Why can't I escape and run as far away from this accursed organization as I could? Why couldn't I win anymore? These were all simple, but complicated questions to ponder. No one but fate could have the exact answer to everything. I couldn't yell when I was called, and this was the perfect chance to use my voice. My eye will stay as commanded, and none will look upon it without meeting the Raikugan and their warnings and deaths.

The puppet man turned to me, rubbing his fingers against his thumbs, checking for cleanliness. He didn't want to have blood on the precious Raikugan eye that he had wanted to experiment and play with. Then his eyes rolled to me while Kisame moved our way. "Tetane," he muttered, a hint of soothing persuasion in his tone, "…this is painless. I am very careful with my medical jutsu, and it requires patience. Surely you can stay still for me and behave appropriately?" He chuckled, amused by his joke. Kisame, on the other hand, showed a twitch of a frown, eyes narrowing a tad. And as for me, I couldn't move to roll my eyes with annoyance. Very funny, you bastard. If he dares touch me and injure my eyes, he'll be killed by his own arms.

Kisame cocked his head a little to the side, trying to see my frozen face. "Sasori-san… is she conscious?"

"Entirely," Sasori muttered, a smirk adding to his expression. "It's paralysis poison… it doesn't affect whether she passes out or not. She's frozen stiff, limp like a puppet whose strings have been cut." He examined his hands again, and a ruthless smile was embedded. "This is the time. I need you to step out, Kisame."

His eyebrows rose. "And miss out on all of the pleasure? Please, Sasori, it would not be on my best interest to leave." He reminded me of myself for his over usage of sarcasm. If I could move, I would laugh, but my stomach muscles were affected in this situation.

Sasori seemed annoyed, still thinking he was superior. "Please."

Kisame turned to glare at Sasori, but my superior held his look with the same expression. Kisame breathed, dissatisfied. "…fine. I will. If I see you again in the meantime, Sasori, I want an explanation." He gave me one look, and turned and left for the exit, tying Samehada onto his back once again. That one look before had me puzzled. It was sympathetic. Was it because my eyes were being used as toys, or was it because of Kisame's mood towards my situation? Whatever it was, he wasn't something amusing. It was a warning.

My master left me with Sasori alone, and once his strong body disappeared into the light of the outside world, Sasori turned and laughed at my body. At me and my defeat.

"Tetane, Tetane," he mused, walking in a pace, "I wish Orochimaru was here to witness… how ignorant you have become, how valiant, yet cocky. I want you to take what you have received from your lesson, and that is patience. If you wait, you'll become stronger. Help yourself before helping others. You come on this Earth to survive. Ending the path for others will have sacrifices, but at the end of the line, it will pay off."

Patience. What an irrelevant word to this conversation. He opposes to wait too long for something he wanted to obtain since the very beginning; since he had laid eyes on mine. Patience can only be referred to as someone peaceful with others and calm. Sasori may think he is an example, but his false pride is stating against the reasons. I budged. The poison needs to wear off in order to guarantee myself safe from Sasori's experiments for my eye. Once that man sees the structure, he'll tell all of Akatsuki and the Leader, and use it against everyone I love. Only in hell will I let that happen.

"And all I need now is that eye. Do not flinch or think badly of this experience. As I said, think of yourself before others."

I wanted so desperately to scream for everyone to come to my rescue, but I had to look at reality. I was in Akatsuki with ruthless criminals possessing no heartfelt warmth in their black souls. I was just so unfortunate, to lose my burden temporarily to a man so vile that his title causes the whole of Suna to quiver in fear. Sasori was granted a place in this hellhole for a reason; he was a demonstration of the true meaning of the antagonist organization. My head pounded with my blood rising to a standard.

Sasori came close to me, walking to me, eyes tired, and insultingly bored, as his fingers appeared with chakra coated on them. I couldn't, but I would have gasped. He was going to pull my eye right out of my socket for the sake of his irrelevant interest. That bastard.

His fingers reached, covering my quivering right eye with his blue, energetic chakra. If only I could move, if I only took the chance to escape…

Sasori's fingers pulled back, revealing an eyeball gently caressed. He smiled slightly, looking down upon my removed eye. I tried to get out of this illusion. It didn't have the slightest bit of pain in my eye… he promised and successfully implied it upon my suggested request. Still, he has my eye. If he dares touch anything without clean hands and chakra, I will have to plan and kill him later by burning.

He bought it to himself to turn and boast to me. A grin parted his soft lips. "This day will rise above others," he began, slowing his words, "The Raikugan itself. So precious to begin with. The eye of enlightenment, of hell, and every decision ever made to rule in dictatorship. Do you realize how long I've waited for this, girl? I could just have everything I wanted… except you, who wastes it on the most irrelevant things. If I had this eye, I would control my village to my demand. All would be right again in the world, no world wars, no idiotic mistakes, no protection. I could be the most talented person on the face of the five nations, and maybe even greater. I propose this moment in time to Tetane Namikaze, the only known protector of the Raikugan. May she last… forever."

And may he last for only a few more days of agonizing pain all over until I kill him from afar. He was recalled for as insane. Deranged. Crazy. A psychopath at the lightest. His insanity must have spread through the room and onto me. Hallucinations must be the explanation, poisoned as a drug into my bloodstream just like this accursed paralysis venom boiling deep inside my inners. Have I been dreaming of this? No, no… I would have woken up from this nightmare.

"Ah, but this is serious nevermore, isn't it? We can't play with these things like toys," Sasori stated, a curve of a smile showing, "I need to inspect your eye at once, before that poison wears off. And with your blood, I can take my time four fold. Interesting how fate can twist things around?"

Yeah, about as interesting as watching water evaporate. I swear I was going to kill him.

"I know you disagree, but then again, you don't know everything. For example, you think you know me of my history. Wrong, as always. I have grown with the thirst for power, but innocent in my youth. None suspected anything. Silent deaths, all bodies hidden in the now red sand. That's why I'm called that, if you hadn't known. And with all of my agents all over Suna, our capture of Gaara of the Desert will be easier than defeating you."

How selfish he appears, talking nonsense. Deidara looks modest compared to him. I tried to clutch my fists, and only a twitch came out of the effort. I wanted to smile. The poison was wearing off.

Sasori took my un-scoped eye and blew softly onto it, flipping everywhere, examining.

" Hmm… I can only inactivate it by a push of chakra from the eye socket. What a shame for that to happen. Let's see. This is the brightest red I've ever witnessed. And the back… hmm, red from irritation and blood marks. And a tinge of purple. It's a wonder, this eye."

Then my leg twitched at I looked down. I actually looked down. My eyes were free from the rhythm of the paralysis drug still burning inside my bloodstream. And soon, I will be whole and free to move. Though the pain of it all bothered me and hurt, it will be borrowed back in the end when this man dies from my hands. I listened in, for those words may be his last.

"…and now… you stand in wonder… about my eye, yet you do nothing for yourself…" I grumbled, almost whispering. Since the echoing features of the setting had taken impact, the redheaded puppet master had heard in clarity. He frowned. "So the poison is wearing off. How unfortunate."

"And how unfortunate it will be to see your next defeat, Sasori," I spoke, even more clearly, "May I say that with that eye comes more than appearing? Like the fact I've struggled? Every single day of my life has been living hell for me wholly. Threats nearby, attempts at kidnapping, and killing? How insane can you and the public be about the Raikugan?"

"You don't understand the power you wield!" Sasori argued, throwing his arms in the air hot bloodedly, "I use my brainwashing technique to gather sleeper agents. Some resist to an extent where I have to kill them myself. It's weak, well, it is nin-jutsu. But with that do-jutsu, with that power, I could rule with no resistance."

"Every person, no matter what situation, can resist. That what I learned on my way to be inaugurated into Akatsuki."

"But the Raikugan, one of the four eyes of the world, lies to control! Control is not possible without power, and vice versa! Of my times with a member, I couldn't be more aggravated by one person!"

"Is it because I irritate you for my eye?" I challenged, screaming from behind the ropes, holding my now freed body in chakra restraint, "Or are you simply jealous that I may last forever while you and your pathetic puppets crumble into dust?"

Sasori held still in his stance, his face frozen in fury, fists balled into white grips of air. He shrunk from the backside, breathing a heavy sigh, turning his body to me, still holding on to my eye like it was calling towards him. He came plainly towards me and my tied up body, a shadowed look of disappointment on his face. I felt my release from his poison finally let go of my blood cells, and my smile stretched. I could make him fall mentally. All I needed to accomplish was to lower his self-esteem even more so he was vulnerable for me to attack.

"Am I still bothering you, Acasuna no Sasori? My punishment is called for as over. Time is a cruel reality, isn't it, when you can't always get your way? Like your parents dying, like how your loved ones can't hold on to their lives to see yours progress further on… I can't tell you how much I hated the events in my life, the early deaths of my parents, my abduction to Orochimaru, your former alleged partner, and this torture here before I was forced to join by a Sharingan user who never speaks of my name with any direct comment. Isn't it cruel to think about that?"

His fingers connected to my socket, chakra burning through. My eye stuck without a twinge of pain, and I came close to him once he officially released. "I saw your eyes widen in the mention of your parents. I would wish the best and mourn them, but I feel discontent with that action. So if you release me-"

"I told you before that patience was the true virtue on your forced lesson with me. You haven't quite learned about that yet." He tugged onto the ropes to make sure they were tight enough, and stood, leaving me to hang lifelessly on the wall. My jaw slightly dropped as I struggled with the ropes. "Bastard."

He turned his head to me as he walked to place a scroll on the ground. "That's lightly insulted, Tetane Namikaze. I was called worse than that when I killed all of these people around us." The puppet master formed simple hand-signs while crouching to the ground and slamming his plan onto the summoning seal. All around, wind blew in a pattern circling the sign, using it as the center of the wind's existence. The broken, shattered, or untouched puppets that Sasori had used against me were being slowly lifted off of the dirty ground, spinning around my counter clockwise. The wind blew my hair to block my face, but I could clearly the progress going on. Plainly, Sasori removed his hand from the center, and all of his little creations were getting sucked into the scroll, no missing pieces left behind. They all had collectively assembled in the summoning, and Sasori rolled his paper up and tied it with pieces of chakra rope. Then Sasori had looked up at me with those sand-colored eyes filled with an unemotional longing.

"My village had treated me in full respect; in fact, I was one of the best in the village, if not, the best. I was called for as a prodigy as a mere child, and at sixteen, the council was recommending me for the position of inherit Kazekage. How proud Granny Chiyo was, affection all around. Even my lover was exuberant in joy for my sake. My puppets meant everything to me. They were something simple to control without any stupid kekki-genkai. I had used them so masterfully, so beautifully. Art at the minimum. The Third Shinobi War was a waste of people, and with those Shinobi I kill, I collect for my purposes. I was so satisfied that I hungered more power for myself, myself alone. And the only one to get in my way was the Third Kazekage…" he snorted softly, biting his soft lip, "… how pathetic. Tetsu Suna no Sandaime Kazekage. That iron sand was my key. With those human puppets, I could create my own army forever, and with immortality comes the puppet master himself, bearing nothing but mortality. So my transference was worth it, as long as my heart was not burdening my wooden body. And then I came to realize that more could be obtained to control. I found out about my partner, Orochimaru, hiding and training a very young girl with the Raikugan, and I struck to confront you. Never did I, you were too well protected from other people. I could never approach Orochimaru the same way without knowing he possessed the Raikugan from a small, stupid little infant, so I tried my alternative tactics. Poison and the experiments over the human body were useful, thus creating my personal memory concealing technique, used with agents all over the countries to spy or the sake of hunger and the Akatsuki. I thought I had everything for the rest of eternity, but only the meaning of true art can be achieved by true greatness. That's why I had moved on from that weak, careless village to the ranks of Akatsuki. I wanted to experience the fullness of control, and that with this organization, we could ensure that I would be finally satisfied."

He sniffled a light laugh, and went to check upon Hiruko, who was assembled into a whole again, but burnt badly by my gen-jutsu. While he walked to climb in, I shook my head, eyes wide. "No person can be fully perfect," I muttered regularly, my tone not changing.

"What?"

"Even if you think you're going to win every time, you have to lose once. You'll never learn, and you'll never get over the loss that stabs at your ambitions so deep like a fatal cut in the heart. I respect your ambitions, but you could have been respected. You could have been Kazekage and made everything better for your people. Just sunshine and flowers all around the barren desert, blooming in your presence." I scoffed. "I bet Sandaime saw right through your little pathetic act. He saw the darkness through your miniature black hole of a heart."

"I wouldn't blame him," Sasori commented, chuckling darkly, pressing chakra into Hiruko's bruised body, "He was stiff and when I stood to be evaluated, he narrowed his eyes the entire time, no matter how big my smile was. Granny Chiyo never forgave him. So his kidnapping was my idea alone, and I wanted the former wall between my goal and servitude dead. And speaking of the Kazekage… Deidara and I have to capture him for our assembly. And as you know, I understand that this Gaara of the Desert is a friend of yours and your step brother's." He let out a breath of air, smiling quaintly. "That's humorous. Two Jinchuuriki as friends. That's like a cat falling in love with a mouse. How idiotic."

"My brother and Gaara are not idiots," I spat fiercely, "Besides, my loyalty is to Akatsuki, not to them."

"Bullshit," Sasori retorted, clenching his hand on Hiruko's head, "I never once believed your servitude to this organization, ever. As I said before, you'll die young. Here… I don't know. Maybe someone from Akatsuki kills you. I bet that."

"On your life? Is this another game we'll play for fun?"

Sasori had balanced his puppet armor on the ground, using his chakra strings to draw the entrance. "If you die first, I get those eyes to transplant or make for another use to myself. If I die first, I'll give you information on where Orochimaru is, his deepest secrets and abilities, and how you can find this Suigetsu person."

"How will you inform me if you're deceased?"

He climbed in, Hiruko's beady black eyes fixing in place, his jaw rearranging, and his neck cracking. "I will someway, even though I won't lose," Sasori grumbled, his tone deep and ragged in the puppet, "Make peace, Tetane Namikaze, and I hope that you find that you're more blessed that others, and that you need to realize before the patience wears off."

The puppet had disappeared into the shadows the next time I had blinked, and my voiced rose, coughing between pleads. "Sasori?" I knew he had disappeared, turning on me hanging here by chakra rope, never knowing when Kisame would show up to pick me up from his dreadful scene. "Fine, then! Bet is on! I can't wait to see your dead body!" I breathed deeply, and hung, neck down. The oxygen was cut off from my neck, and I became dizzy from hanging on the wall, my rapid heartbeat increasing as time came upon me. The blackness took over, and my shoulders relaxed as my neck slumped to the side in exhaustion. I couldn't count the seconds in unconsciousness, but I knew that Gaara would take a long time to obtain and capture. I believed in him, and believed that Sasori should could his blessings and restate them before he dies shortly.

. . .

Sasori's Point of View:

Stupid girl. I wiped the soot and marks out of Hiruko's back. Idiot bitch. She knows nothing about me. She'll be dead on the floor as soon as I come back with her precious friend, the malicious Shikaku of the Sand. His life will be ended shortly, and the funny thing was that I will be visiting my village… and it's been twenty years since I've seen the setting, and Granny Chiyo. She'd be proud of me, even in death. Her heart blinded her. I've fled from that poor disgrace of a village and settled here to make my marks, and today is the day I get my place back at Suna, to tell tem who I really am.

"Sasori-no-danna? You ready to go? We've got a Jinchuuriki to catch, hm!"

Deidara. He's second place in irritation, with those stupid creations of his. What's the purpose of something that's made beautifully then destroyed the next second? I sighed to myself while he came to open my door. His blonde head peaked in, a curious look on his face; somewhat nervous about approaching me when something had to be fixed from my puppets. He knew I was the superior. Every subordinate was somewhat intimidated by his partner.

"So, I heard there was a fight between you and my girlfriend. How did that go, hm? With you fixing Hiruko, it was brutal. Where is Tetane now-"

"You've got a sharp tongue, Deidara. Don't use it too often," I grumbled softly, twisting my armor's head left to right, testing flexibility and ability, "And the fight… you two are perfect for each other. Two clueless teenagers."

Deidara didn't like my review on the girl. He stiffened, and his eyebrows narrowed, red on his face. "Where is she?"

I smiled calmly, trying to calm him down. "She's now in a 'tied-up' situation. But she deserved it-"

"She means everything to me, and you almost killed her, hm!"

He came in to me; fists clenched together, his mouths having no space to breathe. My eyelids lowered even more than usual to him, sighing in my defense. "I didn't lay a finger on Tetane Namikaze. She and I have our arguments, and she lost the battle with one simple move I planned. I wanted to inspect her eye, and I did."

"What kind of freaking poison did you use?"

"Only paralysis, Deidara. Calm yourself, or you'll lose to that Jinchuuriki in an instant, and I'll have to get myself a new partner." Right then Deidara's red vanished from his face, and his fists loosened, a more relaxed face, but still angered by the fact of what I had done to his loved one. "I don't see why you love her so much. She'll probably end up killing you."

For that, my partner stood still, muttering whispers under his breath, paced and frustrated. He looked down at me, and his eye glanced to me. "She's my pride, the inspiration for my art."

"As in what, exactly? In your eyes, she's beautiful, but she'll die in a short matter of time? Or is that your love to each other? Here is what I see. She will end your relationship and had fallen so deep for her that hell clashes with heaven somehow for you. Heartbreak. How pathetic."

Deidara sank, stupefied by my own prediction for him and his precious lover. They are so young that they won't know what will hit them in the end. As Tetane Namikaze had stated, nothing is perfect, nor will be the harder you work with it. My partner had but on a face of failing bravado, sharp blue eye closed. "I'm sorry if I struck at you, Sasori-no-danna. Let's just catch the Jinchuuriki and see what happens later, hm." He left when I opened the door to Hiruko's body, and with my strings holding the entrance, I stepped in, a slight look of concern on my face.

We left, and none of us spoke as we ventured through the Amegakure woods. We needed to travel south to get there, and waiting for us would be Yura. He thought I was his master; that was funny. He was the first to rebel against my tactics when I captured him from the Suna council and implanted the needle in his brain to erase memories of his past. The past… I remember everything there was to know, and when I tried to obtain the position of upcoming Kazekage…

"_Sasori! Show some pride for your village!" Granny Chiyo yelled across the room, waving to me from the corner. That old hag was so kind to me during all of this, taking me in when my parents died when I was an infant, and with training me… I wouldn't be here._

_I breathed. This was for my people. I wanted to show them what I could accomplish in this small little village, and with the war, we could win. Lord Kazekage was glaring at me from behind the podium, and with the opponent that I had to face, it couldn't be easier for me. But the stone hard expression in those dark eyes, and his fingers folded in front of his face like that… it just made me uneasy. I'm sixteen; just barely a jonin. If I can qualify, I need to end this quickly. My opponent was shaking in fear, when I unraveled my puppets to him, and his jutsu was comparable to an average at best chunin. His head dropped after a few minor minutes of useless battle, and Granny Chiyo had cheered constantly from the stands. The audience, though, was quite silent. A funeral call, it felt like. The Kazekage stood slowly, and walked away to the exit with his bodyguards, lifting one hand up, symbolizing that he was done evaluating. The man who had faced me had died from overdose of poison in his bloodstream._

_I had sat in the Kazekage's office, my fingers twitching while Granny Chiyo had started to sit near me, mostly in sympathy. I should be the last person deserving of sympathy now. I had won easily._

"_Sasori, you did great," Chiyo smiled, patting me on the back while I looked down at the floor miserably, "You have really learned the form of puppetry. You might be the best in the family."_

_I sighed. I never felt satisfied, no matter what rewards I had been granted. "I hadn't earned it. I don't feel deserving of just that honor… I need more."_

"_Want is different to need. What you really need is a good opportunity to show the Kazekage what you have in abilities. Sandaime is just old fashioned, sometimes. He prefers family of the same blood, and control over sand. Puppetry is a secondary, according to him. But Sasori, my dear, you're something else. You're more than a secondary piece to the army."_

"_And I know that, Granny Chiyo," I interrupted impatiently, rubbing my temples in frustration, "I want more than that. If I get the position, I'll feel deserving, but maybe more. Maybe the world could be rebuilt in a different way."_

"_Now, now, isn't that a little too-"_

"_I know it sounds stupid, but more or less, I could shape this country to what suits everyone! Wouldn't that be something of an improvement?"_

_Granny sighed, incompetent with my response to her thinking. "Sasori, I love you, but finish what you began, and then when you've achieved that, maybe you can think to the next position. It's just the better thing to do." A knock sounded from the door, and it squeaked, a tinge of iron sand opening the door for me to come in. "I believe in you, dear. You're great, Sasori, no matter what." She gave to me what seemed like a sympathetic smile as I rose and walked to the door in a trance. My brain pounded as I started to rethink the positive thinking; I had deserved to be future Kazekage, but I predicted otherwise. _

_. . ._

"_Sandaime Kazekage, you must regret your mistake, right now."_

_His muffled calls echoed nowhere in the Akatsuki lair. I snickered to my own greed. He sat bagged and bound, dizzy from my vaccinations of truth serum into his bloodstream. Next was the injection for the final poison blow. I grinned slightly, almost childishly. _

"_Lord Kazekage, I must apologize for my rudeness, but I have to do what I have to do. I lost your approval, and blocked one of my chances to accomplish my lifetime dreams; to change everything for the sake of Sunagakure. But you told me I was wrong. I was too young. Too dreadfully ambitious that I might cause the fourth Shinobi war for Suna against all the other nations. I only wanted to help achieve my goals, to rebuild something, to rebuild the village until it stood proud and eternal, like my puppets. They defeated you and your precious Iron Sand. I had kidnapped you to kill you, Sandaime Kazekage. You represent the old ways, but now, with my old rule gone, wiped from the face of the earth, the Akatsuki will control in vain to everything. We will last forever."_

_I had tapped my wooden finger to the syringe and narrowed my eyelids. "Hadn't I told you I was right too many times? Remember the times I begged you to reconsider, but you looked at me like a homeless man on the streets, searching for scraps. After that I ran from that pathetic village you call home, and I vowed to crush you first out of everyone. You needed to feel the pain that I felt, and that we'd both move on. I would move to the better place where I could adapt and feel powerful again, while you would serve no purpose but provide tears in the eyes of the council. These are my last words before death awaits you, Lord Sandaime. Art lasts forever only if rebuilt again by one individual."_

_He tried to struggle, but his arms never left their sides. His vein was open and vulnerable, and with the twelfth hole made into his arm, his eyes widened, and then the blackness of his eyes was dull and glassy. The Third Kazekage was dead in less than a minute after the poison made its way, attacking the black heart it served as the Kazekage's vessel. _

The Kazekage after that little incident was 'missing-in action'. Those fools from the council never learned their lesson as told. Now with their new Kazekage being a little boy seated at the very edge of the village's power, I can't help but laugh. The Ichibi was their Lord, their superior. Now for my other little piece of revenge, I vow to take their only chance to remain invulnerable. Without Gaara of the Desert protecting them, they will show no mercy. That is why when Leader had assigned land for world domination, I chose my old village to look after, going to be the Lord that I had always wanted to be. The people who shunned me shall die under me, and those who believed will have a right side at power. And to shape the village into lasting forever… I will be immortal, and the generations will live on under my influence as their Kazekage. That's why I joined Akatsuki… to rebuild my history and make it last forever.

"Hm, I think we're almost here at the desert, Sasori-no-danna."

Perfect. I was grinned widely underneath Hiruko as the sand setting grew wider, and I could smell the spilt blood that I had stained on the ground with other nations' drew. Ironically, that's why they called me Acasuna no Sasori. And with my future plans, I will be called that once again.


	9. Fool of a Brother

**Hello, readers!**

**Yeah, so I've been out, and I should tell you that it's near Christmas (Yay!), and I'll be the one to say that I probably won't post until early January. Yeah… and that still doesn't mean to not favorite and REVIEW, but this update will probably be the last of 2010. (Maybe… I don't know)**

**Oh yeah! Almost forgot… Comments!**

**-xxyangxx2006: Sasori is one of my favorite characters to write about, and with Tetane's reaction, he'll soon realize the mistakes he's made (you'll see in the next update!). Hehe and yes… I think that's funny too. ^_^ Thanks soooo much for your review and following! (And yeah, it did feel weird when she got it pulled out… kinda like an empty space)**

**So fav, review, follow, and read! **

09:

Tetane's Point of View:

_My body shook. Was this right? I turned to every direction, my eyes switching from one destination to another, but was covered in a thick mist. I couldn't tell where I was, but it felt fearful, discomforting even. Was this some sort of gen-jutsu? No, no… it was a dream, mental reality to explain it more clearly. All surrounding areas were gray with the same fog, clouding my eyes and my senses like a blur. I spun around once, then the opposite direction in a daze. Then I looked up at the sweet night sky, clearer than coal on a snowy ground. The stars were brilliant, little open holes into heaven, one little star representing a deceased soul escaped into the vast afterlife. I had wondered whether my parents were there to guide me out of this fog. Then a light emerged from the blurred shadows, and I stood as though my feet were glued to the ground, unable to move my body. There appeared myself, eyes wide, staggering in a rhythmic pace. The golden light was blocked from the fog, and glazed over._

"_Tetane, what's wrong?" My mouth had barely begun to open when I realized that my thoughts were spoken for me in a voice in the middle of nowhere. And another voice at that, sweet, caring, terrifying. By the tone of it, the feeling came upon me that my mother was speaking._

_My other self had stopped, head drooped, spewing out blood little by little. She fell, disappearing in the cover of the blanket of mist in the ground, and I flinched in terror. Little did I realize at the right time was someone holding a kunai behind her. I pushed against the surprising wall that had made its way into the dream, and the murderer stood, a wide grin spreading around his face. "It's good to see you again, Tetane. Never have I dreamed for this moment to be so… breathtaking."_

_Sasuke Uchiha came up to be, my back pressed against the wall in gut-wrenching horror, but he only surrounded me if I resisted. The kunai glowed for the first time tonight while he raised it from the shaking of his bloody hands. "I only wish that Itachi will share the same hell you will," he whispered without twitching his lips, twisting his words to make me believe him. I had no idea why I had fallen so fearful and longing for someone in his standards. He was a traitor. I was a traitor._

"Tetane…"

_A growling had entered the premises of the nightmare world, and Sasuke had slowly plunged the dagger near my heart. It pulsed loudly like the beating of one thousand drums._

"Tetane, wake up."

_If only… I cringed as it slowly made contact with my skin, wanting to rip my skin like paper._ Then felt my body move by itself, and my eyes opened immediately for the call of the voice. Consciousness claimed me once again, and no one else but Kisame shook me while my neck drooped. He sighed in annoyance as I recognized the blue-skinned man in an instant. "Sasori… had me hung in… defeat…" I moaned.

"I understand, alright?" he snapped, untying the knots that binded me together. "Geez, you thought you had him, didn't you?"

"Unfortunately… yes."

He laughed hardly, dragging me over his left shoulder, grunting in the process. "Well, it's been two days since I left and-"

"Two… DAYS?" I remarked; fists clenched as we exited out of the cave. Sasori will not have gotten away with it. With this in mind, my plans of striking for his death will be known. Then once I had spoken out in a pressure on my voice chords, my throat retorted and I coughed loudly, shaking in that reaction. Kisame had felt this; he had no crazy intentions in mind.

"Calm yourself, Tetane. You don't need to stress yourself. Just listen… your pathetic boyfriend and Sasori tagged down the Ichibi and are coming to separate him from the Kazekage. That's funny," he spoke out aloud, not knowing my thoughts about this traumatic event, "…the Kazekage with a bijuu in his soul. How foolish can the Suna people be, relying their faith in a person like that?"

I couldn't keep silent. "He was my brother's friend. Gaara of the Desert is his proper name, and don't take him too lightly. When I was younger, days before I had met you and Itachi three years ago… I had fought him. In the chunin exams, he had almost ended my friend's life by his manipulating sand crushing his bones into dust. When I had faced him, it was the first time I had ever felt doubt."

"And you won… of course," Kisame replied sarcastically, sneering.

I sighed intentionally, pondering verbally. "It was never determined. Naruto had broken up the fight, and he had beaten him. Never once had Gaara faced the Raikugan."

"Until now, though," my master informed, sitting me onto the ground, leaning against a tree. "You see, when Deidara had captured the little bastard he informed me that he wasn't fully conscious to perform the ceremonial jutsu on his and extract his bijuu-"

My eye twitched in annoyance as my eyes widened, not for that purpose, but for Gaara's sake. "Is this all I'm used for in your organization? Mild child's play with the Raikugan, the eyes that everyone had been craving to possess? Can't you call in Itachi to restrain him? He seems to want to beat me out in talent and family kekki-genkai. Ask Uchiha."

"Can't. Leader's orders."

"Fuck the Leader," I spat, trying to walk on my own, but my legs had been weighed down by the forces of gravity and caused me to collapse on the ground. Kisame's smile lessened, and pulled me on my arm, his arm holding my side as my arms was around his shoulder in support. "You can be so stubborn, Tetane. You haven't been in Akatsuki for long… probably about… a week and a half now, and with that in mind, being the newbie, you have to know that if Leader tells you to do something, you're going to have to do it, or some serious consequences are coming your way."

So much for getting out of it. With that Rinnegan in Leader's possession, I know I could be non-existent in a couple of milliseconds. I feel it in my heart that I can't betray Gaara, my friend. The person that had helped built me internally. But listening to your heart, that old phrase repeated over and over again during child memories, had not subsided in this situation. It doesn't matter how many times you have that same heartache, but if you follow it, it will lead to your end. And my memories of Gaara, his personal struggles and perseverance afterwards is greatly pressured onto that theory. But one life for many…it can be fair at the right times.

I held back my breath, biting the corner of my lip in frustration. "Fine. I'll do it. Who needs this shit anyway when you have so much ahead?" I spat, grunting with every step I took. Kisame held my balance quietly, looking down on the ground in front of him. I continued, cringing. "And with that in mind, I need to relax my body back at the base-"

"Um, you won't like this, Tetane, but me, you, and Itachi-san are leaving right now for the extraction of the Ichibi." He held my waist in strength so he could restrain me from any stupid actions. He was right about my emotions. I was furious.

"What…?" I questioned aggressively, wanting to kill Leader for his insufferable thinking. "I can… barely move without collapsing on the floor. Sasori had caused this damage to me, and for two days I have been unconscious, hanging by tight rope, squeezing my circulation to its limit, and yet, I am called upon to serve my little purpose here? Don't blame anything on me; talk to Sasori."

"Tetane, just rest on me for a little bit and shut up."

"Are you telling me to shut up? Such insolence from a man with no pride."

He laughed hardly and in fun spirit. "I'm carrying you, aren't I? Besides, you in particular get cranky when you're tired. All women do."

He was right about my rest. My eyelids were drooping to a point that they couldn't hold, and my breaths had evened out. And the warmth his hand had placed on my waist, it felt comforting. The rush of warm wind blew and the smell of the crisp fall air had grabbed my senses. As I walked on, I fell asleep quickly and peacefully to the rhythm of our footsteps and his cool breathing into the damp fall air.

_I blinked, tossing around on the cold ground, thrusting from side to side in confusion. I was expecting someone, but my agony hit when blood appeared on my heart, my hand covering the open wound. My hand trembled; there was scarlet painted on my hand. Sasuke must have gotten me._

_A person appeared in front of me in an instant, an orb of ghostly light, smiling at me so friendly, so caring for me that it almost caused my injured heart to shatter._

"_Hey, sissy," Naruto grinned, blue eyes brighter than the sky, causing me to just stare out into the open."What's wrong, Tetane-chan? You look pale. Come on, you have to go to the hospital, believe it!"_

_I tried to stand, but I collapsed on the ground face-on in defeat of pain. He snickered lightly, taking this whole injury thing as a joke. "Come on; let's go before you bleed to death." He laughed at the ironic statement. He could be just as sarcastic as me sometimes. I wanted to laugh in a duo, but I clutched my heart to make it stop. He walked ahead, still unaware of my bloody wound. I wanted to catch up, and I gradually did, but the time had slowed and he went faster than I did, going at a run. "Catch up! I thought you were the pride of the hidden leaf! What's everybody going to think now?"_

_I wanted words to fill my mouth, but I could barely interpret anything he said because those simple sentences pounded on me one by one, pressure upon more pressure. Upset upon upset. I couldn't take it anymore. I fell on my knees, coughing up blood. My blonde brother stopped, trying to check on me, a look of concern upon his youthful face. _

"_What's wrong, sissy? Can't catch up? Then I win!" He yelled to himself in triumph, over-boasting, "The Sixth Hokage wins! Believe it!"_

_I wanted so desperately to congratulate him upon something as simple as a race on foot, but my physical structure almost gave out. His face returned to that saddening expression again, eyes sympathetic, but he still wouldn't come towards me. He held his hands up in concern, still planted in the grass. "…Tetane? That's not you… it can't be you… no…"_

_I could finally retain myself, and when my head rose from the ground, I saw my attire… the Akatsuki cloak. The red clouds stood out like the sun upon a thunderstorm. I turned to him, unintentionally smiling, my Raikugan unveiled. He sat in disbelief, and inside, I couldn't control my physical actions. My heart bled more as the pounding increased in tempo. My step-brother stood still, feet frozen to the warm grass, and mist moved towards us, covering up the area. Then a scream was heard from Naruto; I could barely see it, but it appeared as one hand reaching for him, pulling on his neck. "TETANE! Help!" That hand that grasped my brother was wearing an Akatsuki cloak. His incessant cries died out into the fog, and I ran, clutching my wound, eyes darting to every corner of the scene. "Naruto?" I called, trying to seek him. The blonde Jinchuuriki was nowhere in my sight. "NARUTO?"_

_I ran, and with the blurred surroundings, I found myself making circles. Other people's chakra flow and movements were not detected, so I turned and fell into panic, red eyes widened, heartbeat almost fluttering. "Naruto!" I cried, kneeling in defeat, my hands grabbing the grass from the ground._

My eyes opened in a snap, and I realized quickly that I was lying back on the ground, dark sunshine piercing right into my similar golden colored eyes. I cringed, and straightened my posture to alert myself. And who was there but my two new partners, sitting near the morning fire. Once they saw me in their peripheral vision trying to sit, Kisame chuckled softly. "Looks like someone is awake."

I spun to face the blue skinned man sitting beside me, leaning back, and elbows holding his upper body weight. His razor teeth glowed and showed within the light of the sunset, and he saw me at the same time, connecting eyes. His eyelids lowered slightly, still keeping that playful grin plastered onto his face. "What's up, Tetane? Bad dream?"

How ironic that statement was, but I never wanted to share my thoughts out loud. I blinked in surprise, and I looked from the two partners resting near the hearth, and sighed. "Nothing. Just… troubling thoughts." My stomach growled in hunger, and in reaction, I blushed in embarrassment. Kisame lifted an eyebrow, and Itachi grabbed his bag, throwing a water pouch and a part of a loaf of bread to me in demand. "Eat. You need your strength for today."He went back to staring at the fire, a blank expression on his face. I wanted to laugh for his sake; since I knew he will never reveal himself, even with his comrades, but I kept to myself. I also laughed at why someone like me, someone who had just joined and had been newly defeated, would risk their life out of love for him. Itachi Uchiha. That's just a joke only made to humor numerous crowds.

"Thank you," I whispered not enough energy in voice to get the attention of their ears. They continued eating for their strength, but I sat and stared at my meal. In Konahagakure I had the foods to want and more, never would I starve for a minute without obtaining the food needed. Instead, I haven't eaten in three days, and it hurt whenever I could stand. I needed the energy… Kisame was right. I opened my pouch and softly chewed my bread. All was silent in the sunrise, and after a quiet and slightly awkward meal, we settled.

"Tetane, how did the battle with Sasori come along?" Itachi asked plainly, blinking in curiousness. I shrank back in slight surprise; this was a different approach from the Uchiha mass-murderer himself. And then it came to me from my dream… he looked too much like Sasuke. They were brothers, after all, but both of them had the darkest hearts I've ever experienced.

I stammered incessantly, trying not to make physical contact. "Um, well, it was difficult to explain-"

"She lost," Kisame reported, turning his head to Itachi, and with that response, he sighed, looking down with his red Mangekyo Sharingan eyes, reflecting against the fire in blaze. Kisame explained in further detail while I glared at him for his fault to mine. "She was so close, and then Sasori poisoned her and tied her up, took one of her eyes to just look and brag about it, and left her there with both her eyes in their place for two days. So yeah, she took a blow."

My eyebrow twitched in extreme annoyance. "Thank you for the explanation, master," I stated, oozing with sarcasm. "Itachi-kun, I never wanted to-"

"The suffix you have used was softer than usual," the Uchiha noted, calmly suspicious. I turned to Kisame, and his smile widened by a little, eyebrows raised and lowered quickly, eyes to Itachi and back to me. I wanted so desperately to punch him. "Yes," I coughed, "Since I have joined, I might as well try to bond with my comrades and the other subordinates. I've only been here for two weeks, and might as well get along, right? I'd lost, so I'll keep to my internal pride to face the consequences… and yet, I feel welcome." I ended with a hint of a smile.

Itachi Uchiha knew those were all consistent lies, but he turned to me, his handsome face glowing from the amber flames. "Tetane, I want to train you."

I stared at him in incredulity. What he just ask? I thought I would cower in the shock being received. "Excuse me?"

"Oh boy, this'll be fun," Kisame noted sarcastically, stretching out his back against the wood of the bark.

Uchiha's eyes caught mine, but nothing in reality alternated. "You use gen-jutsu most of the time against opponents, for needy uses, and to interrogate victims, correct? Well, if you want to stand up to create a bigger force with that ability, you need to work, practice, and create new uses. And with me as your comrade and the Akatsuki's other gen-jutsu user, I wanted to take the time."

I shook in surprise. "Kisame, did you approve?"

He shrugged. "Yeah, I did, actually. Itachi wants to improve on your gen-jutsu and resistance, and with that in mind, I need you ready to face whatever challenges come when we're going to infiltrate Orochimaru's hideout."

I glanced over my shoulder to face Itachi Uchiha, and then I glared back at Kisame, minor fury within my stare. "You could have told me beforehand, or you could have dropped an obvious hint while I was still fighting Sasori."

"You looked like you were busy," Kisame noted, stretching his legs, and then leaning down again, a tiny twist of smile still hanging on his expression, "And I know you're not used to losing quite yet. Sasori's really good at what he does, heck, he's older than me and better than me, and it sure as hell doesn't look like it, but with Itachi's training, you won't have to suffer."

I looked upon what he said as an insult. I was built by Orochimaru to wipe away the thoughts of competition or doubt, but ever since I saw a cloak with red painting clouds, I feared for my safety right away. I was fortunate to stay alive, but still as it is, I cannot remain happy if I stand there with Kisame's corpse in front of me, still thinking that I had lost my freedom to him. That remains unchanged, no matter what circumstances.

Bu then I thought about Itachi Uchiha, the man sitting near me, casually suggesting that I join him for private training in the art of illusions. There are no accurate words to put in my mouth for him. He was the cross between a devil and an angel. He was magnificent in a horrible and astonishing way. And those Sharingan eyes… I want to praise them, and yet, kill the man who hosts them. I fell in love with Sasuke Uchiha's older brother a couple of years ago, and my feelings still sting like a needle to the heart. This training would be the perfect time to spend with him and tell him how I feel when we start relating.

My heart thumped as I pretended not to care. "Fine. I will train. As long as this isn't life-risking."

Itachi gave a slight smile towards me, and I responded in wide eyes of respect. "Oh trust me. It isn't." He rose from his seating and began to walk east towards the mountain range. Kisame came up along with him at his side and I eventually sat upright, putting my traveling hat on. This was interesting. Why, all of a sudden, does this superior gen-jutsu artist, take complete interest in training his defeated opponent? I walked at a pace when I caught up with my two new comrades, and we hadn't talked until I could finally see Gaara with my two accursed eyes all for myself.

We walked in the woods and into the open rocky climb for what felt like an eternity. It gave me all the time to think, though, and I appreciated the privacy. While the two stood at my side tightly, my mind drifted. I thought of everyone whom I missed desperately. Naruto. The kyuubi of Konahagakure, hidden from his real identity since the reluctant birth from Kushina Uzumaki. My squad of three, Neji, Lee, and Guy Sensei. I missed our nicknames that Lee had inscribed us with; I was always known as Gen, Neji as Nin, and Lee as Tai, comparable to our abilities in battle. I missed the sounds of the laughing children in the streets, running and playing without a care in the world, and I was here to protect them and to carry out their happy memories. I missed the smell of the pine in the crisp air and the sounds of the robin's call every morning when I looked from my apartment in downtown Konoha. I missed the warm food served, and shelter provided for the sake that I was the Yondaime's precious daughter.

And the thing was… I don't think they missed me for me. Only for my purpose and help towards the village. Sure, my loved ones would mourn me being portrayed as dead, but the ANBU and the elders… I'd spend my years training and I've only saved people, nothing to my interest. They only cared for me because of my blood, my eye, and my kekki-genkai from my mysterious mother. They only protected me from that because I was the savior. The savior. How pathetic. The savior had just been beaten by one of the Seven Swordsmen and is now joined into the Akatsuki, planning to destroy anything they can to obtain world domination. The pride is dust, and the heroine of the village is now a slave to a top evil organization, hostage her by a binding jutsu. And the former protector is facing death due to a side effect from these transferable chakra impulsions. How tragic it will be when she meets her end.

We made the top of the cliffs, and in the cave, to my dismay and happiness, was Deidara and Hiruko, waiting impatiently.

"You're late," replied Sasori sharply, eyeing me. My fists balled; those were the first words he had said when we had first met. I wanted too much to end his life right there.

"Bastard," I retorted, practically hissing at my former opponent. "Remember our little bet. I'll never forgive you for your actions, but today we are allies… but I suggest you watch your back, because those petty little puppets cannot hide your weakness forever." I walked past him, Kisame and Itachi standing at the outside, calmly walking in, and taking their straw-like hats off in recognition.

Then the familiar cocky smile of my blonde lover had made me forgotten all about Sasori and my little quarrel. His dusk blue eye shone off brightly, and he blinked in relief. "Tetane, oh, Tetane, hm…"

Then some flaw caught my eye. A piece of sleeve was caught off of his robe, and blood dripped slightly off the wound. Half of his arm had been terminated from his body. He saw my surprised face and grinned in success. "Yeah, I guess I can't hide that, hm. But I got the Ichibi right here, in the mouth of my bird. Can't top that, can you, hm?" 

I couldn't be more furious and caring in my life. To me, those two emotions flowed perfectly within each other. Gaara, my friend, was knowingly unconscious in that bird due to the work of Deidara, and I felt glad for my boyfriend, sacrificing all he could for his accomplishments. I didn't know what expression to show, but I suddenly without intention turned to Itachi in help. He nodded blankly while the three others waited for me to accomplish my duty for now. I sighed heavily. "Where is the bijuu?"

Deidara straightened, confused, then relaxed, performing a series of hand signs. The clay-made bird had opened its mouth and revealed a body all too familiar. His red hair stood out aflame even in the darkness of the evening sky, his body limp and shredded; Deidara's art had paid off in the end. His tattoo was as scarlet as his hair, and his eyes were closed, but as the sunset had entered the perimeter of the mountains, his light turquoise eyes fluttered, and fixated on me, his body still paralyzed.

"Tetane… where…"

This was all too painful to describe, how betraying I felt. As the Raikugan pierced his mind, a pang of upset pierced my heart like a thorn. Gaara was my friend, but I had no other choice. This was for everyone I knew and loved, and everyone had to make their own sacrifices, no matter how big they were for each person. The Kazekage would have to give his life, and it didn't matter how much he was needed, or how much he needed happiness regained back into his blacker heart. He could never fully understand life again once the soul of the Ichibi and his will be destroyed and maybe used against all humankind. I stood in stillness as my friend recognized me but carried off to the last moments of his life in a dreamlike state of mind. He will be happy in death, at least.

I remembered the special relationship he shared with my step-brother. Naruto's reaction to his work all those years ago was of hatred, that someone like him would throw away life like a piece of paper. He was furious with that method, and with that, stood up to him and demanded his explanation and listed his wrongs. He had unintentionally molded Gaara's heart into another shape, another form, more friendly and warm. Ever since the Ichibi met the Kyuubi, they would bond into a good and connected friendship. And I was to end it with a silence of the Kazekage, the demon's host.

I let him go limp, and sink into the smooth white bird's mouth with ease, an etch of a smile ran down his face. When Deidara's creation swallowed him whole, I stood up in mortal defeat. This is the sacrifice I would have to make everyday just to earn the important trust of the organization and destroy them for vengeance, and with me silencing Gaara's conscious… this would be included in the buildup of revenge.

"There. He will never wake again," I concluded, walking over casually with a slight limp to my two teammates and Sasori with chest held falsely high. Deidara, on the other hand, was in emotion. His blue eye had a little bit of hurt buried into that mischievous smile that I've always loved. And the others knew this too. He was deeply in love with me, and there was no denying it. Catching the Jinchuuriki must have been a burden, no matter what reaction he held for his art or for the sake of the Akatsuki. The only time he would hesitate would be to remember me and my pain of going to capture these tailed beasts' innocent hosts. He knew my relationship with Gaara, but his pride could never rise to the level of heart he held privately for me and his unique jutsu art.

"No leftover loyalties to friends, there," Kisame concluded, happy with himself for my decisions into this irrelevant undertaking, "Well, since everything is settled, we need to assemble somewhere. Tetane's had a little bit of a tough time with her energy, but she's still attending form more afar."

As he mentioned my health, I rolled my eyes to Sasori, dressed in Hiruko, still looking burnt and dented from my affect of my gen-jutsu. His eyes narrowed much more, and his little black eyes fixed upon me in detest. I showed off a smirk to irritate him and provoke him to make a mistake. Deidara was watching this when he hopped gracefully onto his bird creation; and he looked from his master to me in big eyes, then became serious probably going to question Sasori about what had really happened in battle practice. Sasori, knowing him already, will not have told Deidara the truth and fill his younger mind with lies and trickery that I had caused everything.

"Come, Tetane-chan. We must get going," Itachi called out patiently, while Kisame was already facing the down-cliff of the mountains, taking small steps out.

I turned, but then hesitated and spoke directly to Sasori, my voice echoing from the mountainous terrain and shadowy scene. "I only hope your grave will have reflected upon your wrongs. May I remind you that I will win, and you will tell me about Orochimaru's secrets. Only the best will survive until the end, the one who had acted against the will of right must be eliminated from life. Those puppets you make, the one you stand in cowardly, those one hundred for your alleged 'army', and even you yourself, the human puppet, will soon crumble. Nothing can last forever except the memory and remains of people you must have loved. The world will turn with age, and someday, yes the world will meet its cold and darkened end, and everyone will die, but the history of every brave Shinobi will stand strong… forever. Just recall my words one day, Acasuna No Sasori, and you might make it. Degrade yourself even lower to what you are right now… and some individual will end your reign of life on earth." It turned to the darker sunshine that will progress into the midday brightness, and followed the footsteps of the two men who had forever changed my life. I only heard the words that the deep voice could ring to his faithful partner. "She's going to kill us all one day, Deidara."

Just wait and experience my words, you piece of shit. It'll happen soon. I can feel it.

Kisame looked at me with a surprise of admiration glowing through his stripped hat. "Well done, you. Loyalty and some hate for others who want the same power you do will earn you a spot here, well, eventually. And then you mentioned Orochimaru… he's going to give you his location?"

I almost spat in the open air. "If he dies, but all of that is pure dishonesty. How can he tell me when his only way of speaking will be buried somewhere?"

Kisame gave a small chuckle. "Why are you so sure about his death? With that disease, you're not going to last long, either."

"And you follow with me into death," I retorted, giving a gruff of pain in limping, "And with that information Sasori will gladly give up in imagination, I'll be alive and healthy again, since your burden will suffer me quite a bit," I sarcastically remarked, taking little skips in mockery.

He wasn't impressed though his smile still remained plastered on his face. "In this organization, you're expected to last a pretty damn long time. And I know with that kind of personality, that won't be possible," he slightly kidded, pulling my collar back while I was still skipping. I tripped while being flung backwards, and grabbed myself in time to stand straight and walk forward. Kisame gave a hard laugh, and I chuckled in embarrassment. "You're in an S-Rank organization but you're still a kid here," he commented, keeping his good mood in mind.

Itachi standing next to Kisame on the left side, had spoken out the first time since we had seen Gaara. "Leader should summon us soon. I suggest we rest somewhere solitary before the sun goes down from the mountains." He turned his eyes to the mountain range we had just visited a few hours ago, and the sun had settled slightly, the translucent moon coming in from the east side of our site. I glanced at Itachi, and he had my stupefied in my own amazement. His body faced the setting sun, and his face shone darkly, every mark of battle showing from the cascades of sunlight. His serious expression almost appeared quieter than usual, more alert. And his Sharingan that most of everyone had seen and detested… had shown against the orb of fire. The redness had brightened; almost to be compared with the glowing effects of my Raikugan. And for summary… he looked almost too beautiful to be reality. Kisame beside me looked at me and then Uchiha, then me again, seeing the hints of pink clinging onto my vulnerable cheeks. He grinned, revealing his numerous sharp teeth. "Ah young love," he whispered while I was still stunned by Itachi's appearance.

Itachi looked back at us both, both the combinations of red from anger and embarrassment and pink from the effects of his complexion on my physical traits showing. "What was that, Kisame?"

He sat up straight, hand still behind my back, while I looked awkwardly between the two comrades. "Ah, nothing, nothing, just checking on Tetane… she doesn't look like she's feeling well… Tetane? Are you sick?" He nudged me in the back so Itachi could not see the action.

I broke out of my trance and stumbled within my words. "Um, yes, I must be. A slight fever, maybe. But never mind that, we have to get the extraction done soon."

We started walking again, Itachi's body perimeter engulfed within the rays of the darker sunshine. I wanted to avert my head, but I couldn't stop looking at his beauty. The Kisame nudged me again, my daydreams shattered still. "Someone likes someone else," he mocked, almost dancing in little amusement. Then I furiously grabbed his collar in tall height and pulled his head down when Itachi had looked to the north. "Shut the hell up, or that neck won't be able to support your big head."

I let go, and he smiled as I did, and we laughed in unison, Itachi plainly sighing and walked with us still. "Funny, funny," Kisame grumbled playfully as he rubbed his neck in aggravation.

. . .

We threaded through lands, and we got to where we wanted to be, and the sun had set where it needed. Our amber flames from the started campfire had flickered off into the night sky, and we had the night to rest and watch guard in case any others come in attack or of compromise. Itachi had directed me to stay on watch guard while shifts were made for sleeping schedules. Great, another sleepless night.

I sat near them, both bodies breathing peacefully while my eyelids were dragging down towards the other way. The only reason I could stay awake is from all the thoughts haunting me from everything. I could stare off into the stars, wish for anything in the world when one comes falling to this earth, and nothing would come. I guess wishing is only a mentality, to keep spirits warm and faithful. Funny… I really need some of that right now.

I was wishing for a lot of things right now, too many even possible to acquire. One is to have the miracle to get away from all this, if I didn't possess the Raikugan, or wasn't even important enough to make my name to every nation's ears. _I wish I could redo my childhood the way I had wanted to, with my brother and family there, cherishing every single moment spent with love. I wish I wasn't taken under Orochimaru, and that I had never trusted him, never loved him with my life on the line spilt for his glorious sake. And lastly…_ I turned to my comrades, locking my eyes to his still, natural form…_ to tell him how I really feel in my heart. How my heart beats for no one but him, pulses when he looks into mine and talks to me in moral. _I turned back, sighing. He's too mature for me, the sarcastic little blonde haired kunoichi brought in by his partner just to do nothing for them.

"You thinking?"

I met the eyes of my captor, and he grinned, stretching from his sleeping position. "I know that face too well, Tetane. What's up?"

I faced him depressingly, almost scolding. "Aren't you supposed to be sleeping? You have until dawn, and we have that continuous extraction to go to in the late morning."

He breathed to himself, sitting up, gripping Samehada beside his bedset. "Well, I had some troubles. Bad dreams about different things. And one of them was about you, so I woke up and I heard you almost talking to yourself."

I chuckled to myself. "It's ironic how dreams work, isn't it?"

Kisame grunted as he came out quietly, eyes still locked onto mine, Itachi body never moving from its place. He sat next to me, and leaned on his back casually. "Hm. When you come to think about it, it is funny to think about. It was a mix of them, actually," he grunted nonchalantly.

I had decided to give up holding my tongue. "Why are you being so damn casual?"

"Hm?"

"About these events about me. Knowing you, I would suspect you of keeping more of a close eye on me. Don't you doubt my loyalties to Akatsuki? And did you notice the way I had looked at Gaara when ceasing him at his last conscious breathes? I was the last person to make contact with, and he internally died due to my doings. Do you see my emotion behind this, or are you too unaware?"

Kisame snickered as usual and my glare was incessant. "You don't realize the plan, do you? We need you here so we can capture the bijuu and take over the world. I get my rewards and promises, and then we set you free, or if you cooperate and be a good little girl, you can have a piece of land and more wealth than you can sustain in your lifetime. Or you can recall some unfinished business to do with enemies, or even entire villages of you want to."

My left eye twitched in annoyance. He wasn't answering my full question. "So what sufficiency was that little bit of information for? I serve Akatsuki only because I could get more out of it and also because I had to obey your freaking chakra rules. And with Suigetsu. That's all I really want doing here."

"Not for Deidara? Not for someone else?" He eyed Itachi sleeping soundly. I took in a deep breath of night atmosphere, looking deeply into the stars, searching for the true answers. "No, I had fallen in love with him, though. And I would like you to refrain from talking about Uchiha."

"Ha! That's a good one. He even knows you like him."

My eyes narrowed. _Damn you for telling, Kisame._ "I don't want to talk about it."

He signaled his arms out in front of him. "Okay, okay, I'll back off. But at least… tell me how you're doing with the entire curse mark dilemma."

I frowned upon upsetting memories and surprise. I never took that into recognition in a long week. I covered the side of my neck and felt the rough edges forever scarred by the man sitting next to me, the man who ordered me to stay here and fight for the wrong cause. And yet, he was asking me about my health, and cared… about me, the worthless sarcastic little blonde brat he hated for cutting off his hand and almost killing him for perfect reason. I paused to look down and came back up, my head still facing the ground in a slumped position. "Fine," I muttered casually and plainly, my fingers touching the texture of the scar implanted on my neck, "Nothing serious or life-threatening to report so far."

He breathed in relief, and sat back. "Well, good. I'm happy, because we have to spend three days extracting the Ichibi, and trust me, there's a lot of unnecessary work acquired in order to do this."

"Great," I muttered sarcastically. Kisame hadn't moved until a few minutes afterwards, when he rose to go back to sleep. "By the way, if the news has spread around the Sand village, it must have gotten around to the Konaha too. Tomorrow might change for you, because those idiots might come to save Gaara and you… but hopefully you know that's not the smart decision."

I almost stood up with my heart pounding ten-fold normal. If Naruto, if my team, if any person wearing and representing a Leaf village insignia upon their headband comes to risk it to find and save me, they will get killed or even worse… captured. I would have to face them, maybe even in combat, if Leader had suggested that motive to me. I cannot imagine fighting my friends… family… without feeling my heart tear in two.

I sat again, secretly clutching my shoulder for support while Kisame had turned. "You know I cannot disobey orders," I muttered blankly, "These people disturb the incoming peace of our nations coming together, and no matter what situation, they shall die if in my way."

Kisame chuckled. "That's a good one, Tetane." Then he stretched and spread out on the bedspread until I saw the incessant and slow moving of his back up and down. He was asleep within five seconds.

I filled up my lungs again and turned towards the direction of the moon and stars. "Why is this so unbearable? Can the heart think as can the brain can love? Wise murderer, or a dead fool?"

Then a memory hit my mind as a kunai stabs a heart.

. . .

"_Naruto… Sasuke's gone, and with Orochimaru claiming him, there's no undoing the permanent."_

_His beautiful blue eyes widened as mine had narrowed. Why did this have to come? Naruto's relationship with his partner had been troublesome, but bonding, but when Sasuke Uchiha had made the terrible decision to run away from this village and follow the footsteps of Orochimaru, my fury and Naruto's heart broke at the same time. _

"_What… what do you mean, Tetane?" He was a little too immature to fully understand reality. I sat upon his hospital bedspread in melancholy spirits._

"_Sasuke Uchiha is one I would call an avenger. He can't be fully satisfied without needing another goal to complete. He'll never stop, and his life was structured to be like this. There was no stopping the decisions made with the Uchiha massacre and his desirable thirst for unlimited power. Orochimaru offered these things for the sake of Sasuke performing a favor for him later in his life, and when Itachi Uchiha is dead on the floor in front of your friend, he'll need a new goal of vengeance to satisfy himself. Konaha for him in the past was full of 'unnecessary' events, and he'll move on when Orochimaru teaches him lies about every little human being on earth. That's just a prediction and observation, but it's very likely to happen."_

_My brother turned to the window away from me. "I thought you wanted to be Hokage."_

_I didn't think I'd heard him properly. "Naruto?"_

"_I said, I thought you wanted to be Hokage, not some wiseass who thinks nothing of their comrade. Tetane, he's in trouble. And I've got to go save him, no matter what." He raised his fist to the air, trying to brighten up even the gloomiest situations._

"_You have to consider the possibilities," I snapped, "…the brain overrules the heart every time. If you are wise, then follow what the situation is on this. If you follow your emotions, it will end you shortly, no matter how many allies you gain from your goofy personality. It distinguishes a fool from a proper Shinobi."_

_Naruto chuckled to himself after thinking for a few elapsing seconds. "Heh. Then I guess I'm not a regular Shinobi then. Maybe I am a fool. But it doesn't matter… Sasuke was my best friend. He needs me to save him and bring him back."_

"_But look at life's perspective-"_

"_I don't want to hear it!" cried my brother, slamming his head onto the pillow in full force, tears swelling up in his eyes, "Sasuke's too much too loose in this village! And with my heart, well, I'll die for him!"_

_I looked upon my brother in shock. He looked upon me with a slight grin. Naruto may never be one of the smartest people, but in this society, the people look for heart and passion. Fighting for your comrade who dies beside you and then increasing the risk of dying is more valiant than leaving the body for land and running from the overpowering troops who have a lesser chance of killing you. Naruto, you may be right… but Sasuke will fight to stay and hunger by himself._

"_I plan to beat you in becoming Hokage by a challenge to heart sizes!" he laughed, "and Sasuke will declare me the winner after we get home!"_

_I couldn't help but smile for Naruto. He was always one of the most determined people I could meet, and rushed to save his comrades by putting every ounce of sweat into his chakra and jutsu. He was my opposite, my counterpart, brother and step-sister. He was brainless. I was heartless. He needed support while I could work alone. He was careless, I was matriculate. He was willing to throw it all away for some stupid dream. I was always careful about my life. _

"_So maybe I am a fool… but I'll be the biggest fool in the village!"_

_I looked at him in wonder. Was he going to risk the sake of his life… the power of the kyuubi… for one person? I slumped to the side, my fist under my jaw and a caring look to my eyes. Naruto… if you're really following your emotions, it might get you far… it sure as hell persuaded me._

. . .

I silently wept, the tears slowly going to my face, smiling as the star illuminated on my face and the moon was the night sun. I recalled him for his wide dreams, and now that the news had spread, he was expecting to save me tomorrow from the Akatsuki. It was too ambitious, but I believed in him. I believed that anything could be possible for him.

I continuously sat until my tears were gone and the sun had risen from the mountain's point.


	10. Sagittarius and Libra

**Well Happy New Years! :D Hope that all of you had an awesome vacation! (I know that was a long time ago, but bear with me peoples.)**

**To make note, these things happened with everything that happened in the real manga/anime. And to make sure of tings, I do not own Naruto, Akatsuki, and all characters except for Tetane Namikaze. Happily, she was my idea!**

**Okay, comments:**

**-xxyangxx2006 (chap.9): Well here we go! This chappie is it! Aw! Haha I realized that too! R.I.P. Kisame ): a few months ago. Thankssss for being an awesome reviewer! And I hope you enjoy this one!**

**-WanderingGambler (chap.1): I know. They're so freaking long, but I'll probably have another version that I'll make out of a new story to just shorten the chapters, but make more of them. Pein is always professional, and he'll never admit to anything. And Tetane=definition of sarcasm. And also, Hidan=raging perv. (: So please, keep on reading and reviewing!**

**Those are done, so then let's get to the action! And one last thing… **_**REVIEW!**_

* * *

10

The dark sun arose from its sleep, and my eyes opened with no further excitement for what was about to come today. Today would be the day that Gaara would be officially dead, and that Naruto would build up vengeance for that. I groaned as I stood, seeing the empty spaces of Itachi's and Kisame's resting stations. And as my eyes followed north, they stood near the fire, apparently have caught some type of breakfast. My stomach growled for yearning. I sighed to myself and walked groggily over.

"Look who's up," grinned Kisame, roasting some bird over the open fire pit, "I thought you died from the way you slept… we couldn't get you up, sleepyhead!"

I slouched and glared at the two, one energized and one unemotional as always. I walked over, sitting, unable to open my droopy eyelids. Damn sleep, I barely had rest. Itachi took my place at watch in the later nighttime, typical Uchiha behavior, always expecting a pawn to do the hard bidding for them. We exchanged regular glances, and I took one succulent bite of duck, roasted to perfection over the hearth. I chewed, looking down in exhaustion and disappointment.

"Today, as you are aware, is the extraction," Itachi muttered, announcing me alone, "We are able to communicate and perform our extraction jutsu from just a distance away using another jutsu. It will be extremely easy, so follow our steps. Also, when you stand at the statue, you need to be at the left pinkie finger, where your ring in placed, because you replace Orochimaru upon the statue."

Statue? What kind of extraction will this be? But I kept my mouth shut and nodded with no hesitance, looking the other way. There will be no way out of this, but I remembered gravely of the mental plan I had established. If you want to defeat the enemy, become the enemy. Learn their tactics, befriend them until they feel emotion towards you and in the perfect situation, stab out their hearts and end all life in their black souls. Never shall Akatsuki be hesitated with fear again.

I nodded with narrowed eyes, rubbing my temples, but still interested enough. "Sure, sure, but what do we do? From what I've heard, this extraction will last three days. Do we have that much time to secure the kyuubi from its user, before the enemy may drop by? The Sand Village is looking for their Kazekage, and also me, with Konaha being their ally."

"Oh trust me, no one's getting their hands on you while I'm around," Kisame grinned, showing teeth brighter than the moon, "Nor would I think you would escape, right, Tetane?"

I questioned him without thought. "Do you honestly think I'm on the side of betraying you all when I stand no chance? Send me to hell if I do." I was getting better at this lying game. I could tell when the two partners exchanged glances and mildly shrugged, not looking back at me and packing up the necessary items. Then my mind flickered. "You never answered my question about the extract-"

"It will be shorter than you think," interrupted Itachi, turning to me while we walked, "And for the barriers and intruders… none should stand as much as a chance."

"Don't worry about it," Kisame also commented, looking forward towards the removal of the Ichibi, "Zetsu's also watching on guard, so we'll get the warning sign and as for those Konaha brats and their other Shinobi…" There was an unusual glint to his eye when he had mentioned them, "… we'll give them hell like no other."

I chuckled lightly, and with that, Kisame facially questioned my reaction to his arrogant response. "You know, if you guys or the other Akatsuki meet up with any of my old companions from Konahagakure, you'll have expected less, but when the action comes… underestimation will be the first regret."

"You really think so, Tetane?" Itachi replied calmly, turning to me, "We are Akatsuki. We shall rule. Surely you don't believe that we won't succeed?"

My mind stood for itself and all the false loyalties. "Of course not, but I still believe that you shouldn't falsify my statements, Uchiha. I am part of this organization now, and I intend to stand with it onward towards its complete victory. But when knowing these various Shinobi… I say that it will be hard to beat them. They believe in the will of fire and use their full hearts to stop or do anything."

Itachi reacted nonchalantly. "We shall see."

Then both of them had turned and head towards the mountains, the sunrise peaking out of the vast cliffs. I followed in sour mood, dragging all the necessary items for shelter. If I could only wish for the simplest thing, but I could only stand in the way of everyone else. Hopefully someone could answer my emotional prayers and help me and my dire situation, and with that in mind, Naruto would find out about me somehow and come to rescue me with more friends. But that would only be fantasy. These criminals would crush them if they had crushed me.

We came upon the cliffs, but both partners stopped. "Near the cliff, and abound the sun," Itachi spoke in solemn sounding words, and both him and my captor sat, and Kisame eyed me to follow. I glared, but not at him, but to the side, sitting next to both. Itachi stared blankly at the sun, making its way into the sky. Then to my surprise, red clouds had broken into the pathway of our vision to the sunrise, and with that, Itachi Uchiha closed his eyes. "Deidara and Sasori have the Ichibi at the sight and have approached the statue. Time has a limit, so let's make our way. Tetane, follow please."

I nodded gravely, eyes wide and onto my trembling hands. Kisame saw this, and laughed. "Come on, it's not that bad. Just make the lion, snake, and bear signs and you'll find out what happens. Also, keep the chakra to your brain and keep the same bear sign for this state. You'll do fine." He grinned, bright teeth showing again.

I wanted to imitate his smile sarcastically, but it was hard to ease emotions. Gaara's final three days would be spent in pain probably, and I couldn't spend it in celebration, but some would be enough to cover up that I was loyal to the organization I would later destroy. So as a resort, I let out a corner of a smile, facing Kisame with energy as bright as the sunrise. "Don't worry about me, master," my facial expression turned into a full grin, and with that sarcastic remark, Kisame's smile grew as mine did. "Good, let's do this before my face freezes where it is."

I wanted so badly to run away from all of this, but never the less, it wasn't part of the plan. People will have to die in order to obtain my ultimate goal for ultimate peace. None of this could be done without bloodshed. I did those signs, and my breathing stopped as my heart fluttered. _None of this could be redone, _I kept thinking aggressively to myself, but I kept a straight face. There were two decisions to make, but I made my mind clear to destroy this group of insignificant criminals to save this precious peace over the nations.

My hand-sign for the bear was held, and my eyes closed as I tried to concentrate.

. . .

My eyes opened with caution a millisecond later, staring at darkness, only a few bright lights made of every different space. My pupils adjusted to the lack of light, and saw myself performing the same sign, with the ring on my left pinkie finger glowing in luminous blue; and below the surface from which I stood, a circle stood out with others, the same color with a kanji reading the word… truth. Irony cannot serve my purpose here… can it?

Others beside me stood with me, and to my right was Kisame himself, looking down at me with not a seeing smile, which was hidden in his shadowy perimeter, but looked at me with cheekbones lifted and eyes full. He then looked at the right thumb, which held the perimeter of the Leader, looking at me contently with those sacred and powerful ringed eyes of his. To my left on the other hand was Acasuna No Sasori himself, sighing to himself in his full form, having brought the Jinchuuriki here with Deidara, who sat three fingers from him, on the index finger. My boyfriend saw my eyes glow from across the setting, and those amazing blue eyes lit up with excitement. The two zombie brothers were on both middle fingers, and Konan and Leader were standing in our position on the thumbs. Itachi stood next to Sasori, red eyes that I had detested for so long almost as bright as mine in Raikugan stage.

And below all of us was Gaara. Soon to be dead by our feet in a span of three days.

So many emotions filled my lungs, tears to reach my eyes. _Don't cry about such matters, Tetane. It will be worth it all in the end… no matter how many deaths. Friends will die. People will misunderstand. But we will all see the sunset without a moment spent thinking about worries._

My eyes dried quickly from reassurance, but to see him like this… is torturous internally. The citizens of Sunagakure will try for revenge, someday. I bet the world.

"Alright then," the Leader had interfered with my silent memoriam, "Let us begin."

The mouth to this statue my partners had spoken about had opened with the unsealing on the scroll in its mouth, and with that, leader had spoken again in that high-commanding voice.

"As you all may very well know, this procedure takes three days and three nights in order for this specific jutsu to succeed. All of you should keep attention to your full bodies resting outside this area-"

No wonder. I saw through my coat and my flesh. This was a transparency jutsu that was needed for this specific task. I narrowed my eyes to Leader, silently complementing him. This was ass-kissing, but to make this all work out for the world, I needed to keep my balance to my false loyalties.

"-and Zetsu has the base watched for, in case of any intruders."

_Kiss my ass. They're coming for my sake and Gaara's. _

"And with our newest member, it may take a shorter time. Tetane… we count on you as our part."

I stared at Leader, unable to respond. Eyes rolled, Kisame answered. "Indeed."

I growled silently. "Yes, Leader."

Everyone else had followed my suit. "Yes, Leader." I wanted to grip my hands like an addiction, but keeping this sign for three days would benefit to my trust with the organization. Besides… everyone knew Gaara was my brother's very close friend.

One by one, the dragon sign was made, first by Leader, and then as soon as it came to me, Sasori gave me a cold glare as I made the sign, and returned it back. "You have no right, Sasori. I shall victor. And you shall feel death through those splinters."

"Only art shall reign, and foolishness will cease to keep you alive," he retorted, closing those small black eyes. He looked back to our signs, glowing green one by one. Then to my surprise, the mouth that had opened at the beginning of the extraction had filled with blue chakra, swirling in the jaws, then released as nine dragons in that form charged at the defenseless, unconscious Gaara, then hitting the Kazekage with full force. He rose as the dragons modeled into a ball, absorbing him in it, and added was a trail of chakra to the mouth, and connected with one of the unfilled eyes above the statue. The flow of combined chakra flew towards that filled space, and suddenly with widened eyes, the jinchuuriki's mouth flew open, arms outstretched, and his red Ichibi chakra flowed with ours. And thus the process had begun, with sacrifice and cowardice.

. . .

Naruto's Point of View:

"We should be there at some point on the morning if we rest for a bit," Kakashi Sensei informed us, hopping through the trees, even though he didn't have much energy to do anything. Usually he just sits around reading those books that Ero-Senin writes, but today he looked tired. I mean, this was a big mission, but usually Sensei's big on these types of things. Gaara was also captured, which sucks big time, so in that case we gotta hurry, but Tetane was still tugging on my mind. She was one of my best friends, and she's probably captured as well. Come to think about it, she probably got killed by whoever was sent by the details of the Akatsuki's letter that Granny Tsunade got the day before Tetane left with her squad of ANBU. I never saw her after that. Hopefully it wasn't one of those two weirdoes who tried to capture me two years ago along with Tetane. I heard she kicked their asses along with Kurenai, Asuma, and Kakashi Sensei. But now… I'm not so sure anymore. She's got to be captured, at least. She would tell us if she was okay… right?

"Why the hell should we stop?" I interrupted, fists enclosed, feeling my nails dig deep into my flesh. Sakura-chan and Granny looked at me weirdly as always. I'd always have something against women, believe it, I just don't know why. But there are different matters here. "I mean, Gaara and Tetane are both got kidnapped by the Akatsuki! We should carry it out!"

Kakashi, instead of his usual lazy eye roll, had sighed to himself, just plain tired. Sakura-chan and Granny stopped as he did, with me forced as well. "Tetane… we don't know if she's alive or not, so it isn't one hundred percent sure that she's with the Akatsuki as a hostage, which maybe the case, and Gaara might be there too, but with this light and our travels, we need the energy if we need to save them both. The Akatsuki are the most feared criminals in Shinobi history, and are placed in the selected section of the bingo book. If we continue on like this, we'll be killed without a hope. That's the hard truth."

I looked down to myself, gritting my teeth. "Tetane is probably dead right now, just because we didn't come too soon. Soon Gaara's going to die!"

"Calm yourself, young one," Granny called in the back, "I know all about that girl and boy. Tetane Namikaze is a new legend, and apparently with that so called Raikugan, she'll hold on. And that Kazekage, well, he's strong enough to manage. Naruto-kun, I would never worry about them."

"Yeah, I think Tetane's fine, Naruto," Sakura added, hands to hips, but still biting on her lip. Oh yeah, her and Tetane were best friends. "Best chances are that she's spying on them with her ANBU squad. They had enough food, and with the threat in that letter… well…"

"Exactly!" I stopped, gritting my teeth again, stopping to the ground with the others, "One of those two Akatsuki members got her, believe it. I bet it was Itachi… or that blue guy with the huge sword, man, that guy tried to saw my legs off! What happens if they both meet Tetane? She's going to be killed! I can't let that happen! She's like my big sister… thinking about that… makes me sick to just stand around! What if the Akatsuki get their hands on her? She's dead, Sakura! Dead! Along with Gaara!"

They all stared at me and my reaction. Kakashi came up to me as always, patting my back, a saddening look in those lazy eyes. "That's the Naruto I sure as hell know."

"What? What do you mean, Sensei? I'm just saying that-"

"That Tetane and Gaara are in big trouble. But this isn't your behavior, Naruto. You've always thought positively of the outcomes. You've always believed your comrades. What happened to all of that? So what if Tetane and Gaara are missing? Just believe in them. You're too impatient, which I can't train you to stop being, but Tetane… she's probably the strongest kunoichi in the village, and trust me, with that kekki-genkai she's got, she'll be controlling the Akatsuki."

I stiffened a chuckle. She always liked using the Raikugan on people. I remembered once she made Shino laugh. Shino of all people, all because she used it on him, and then he got revenge and made bugs invade her apartment while she was sleeping in bed. I couldn't stop laughing for three days straight over this thing, believe it.

"And Gaara, well, as Kazekage, he's got to be the best in the village, and will hang on to anything. He's the same as you, Naruto."

Granny and Sakura looked at me with intensity. I have no idea why, but… is it our friendship, or the bijuu? He connected to me more than anyone else, and I believe it. "He's a good friend, that Gaara. I'd never let him die."

"Exactly," he replied, ruffling my hair like the old days, "Now let's just rest for the night, and trust me; they'll be alright for tomorrow, okay? Tetane's probably rescuing Gaara right now."

We dropped our gear, and Kakashi Sensei set up the fire in a few seconds and we had to take night patrols. Kakashi said he'd take it, but I wanted to for the hell of it. Once he fell asleep, I went in the woods, still seeing the vibrant fire from the clear spot of grass that we set up camp on. I ventured, and decided to sit on the tallest tree branch in the area, to look up at the sky. Tetane taught me how to find the zodiac signs, and that was the last time I saw her that night.

. . .

"_And there's Sagittarius, that's my zodiac sign… and there's yours… Libra… you were born on October tenth, is that correct, Naruto-kun?" __Tetane's eyes sparkled, even under the nighttime sky. _

_I stuttered in response. "Yeah, believe it. Wait… what's your birthday, then, if you're… that, um, horse person one?"_

"_It's the Sagittarius sign, and I was born in vain, on the time of the sunrise on December fourteenth. Sagittarius' tend to be intellectual-"_

"_You've got that right, you're smarter than all of us… maybe Shikamaru's a Sagittarigog."_

_She laughed, smile similar to mine, a ton of sarcasm oozing out of her personality, "No. Say it with me. Sag-I-Tari-Us. Besides being intellectual, we also are optimistic of outcomes, truthful, spoken to justice, and responsible. You, on the other hand, Naruto-kun, are the Libra, I bet you can pronounce that one…" she stifled a small laugh while I smiled along with her, following her finger tracing the stars, "…your kind wishes for peace, with may come with a hint of prophecy, and desires attention."_

_I found that… how Iruka Sensei said it… ironic. I wanted nothing but to fit in and stop being an outsider because of my stupid kyuubi inside me. I noticed I was also the only zodiac that wasn't a person or an animal. Was this why I was born that day, that month? Because I was born to be different than everyone else? Also, I was prophetic, whatever that means. Oh, wait! I was destined to be something great! Sixth Hokage, here we come! Well, not unless Tetane steals the title from me, believe it._

_After a few minutes of just breathing and looking at the stars that shone brightly in the sky, Tetane looked at me, eyes blazing with worry. I straightened my posture. "What is it, Tetane?"_

_Instead of usually keeping her eyes to me, she looked down in sadness. "Naruto, I'm going on an S-Rank mission tomorrow. Me and six other ANBU."_

"_Well, what for?"_

_Her fists enclosed on the sweet grass and clutched the ground. "Lady Tsunade got a letter today and she summoned me to her building. I came in with a happy look on my face, like everything in life was okay, and then she announced the reasons. The letter specifically came to me, and it described that I should be handed over to an organization called the Akatsuki, or someone will force me to come, alive or dead. It was official, not something a stupid prankster would write. It was written in blood and chakra… and someone is coming to my village, to h-hurt and kill our village for my sake, and by my terms, these are not average criminals… Orochimaru belonged to this group." _

_At first I wasn't moving, eyes glued to the ground like Tetane's. But mine widened a little more than usual and like a jolt of lightning, I sat up straight on my ass again. "Oro-Orochimaru?"_

"_Yes, I remember their group to a length, though. Black cloaks with red clouds on them… remember when you were almost abducted by those two criminals, one of them named Itachi Uchiha?"_

_I shuttered, hell yes, believe it. "Yeah! And one other one-"_

"_Kisame Hoshigaki, one of the seven swordsmen. They both are members of that organization, and they terrorize all around the lands to obtain something… money, could be a possibility? No, no, too simple… but I am wanted for some initial purpose there. Probably for my eyes… damn them to hell…"_

"_But you can't go! You'll get killed!"_

"_Naruto-kun…" She looked me in the eyes again, and I happened to look up too. She smirked in reassurance. "…do you really believe I'm going to get myself killed?"_

_So much freaking confidence. No wonder she's Sagittarius, she's so optimistic. I couldn't answer._

"_Think about it for a slight second. Only one shall be sent in, and I have all of my gekki-kenkai and my six ANBU forces who are all jonin. I'll be alright, hear me? This might be called an S-Rank mission, but I'm going to kick ass, trust me with everything."_

"_Uh…"_

"_And once I'm done picking off whoever's bones, hell, I'm going to spy on the entire fucking organization! I've never once lost a battle, and I don't intend to!" The wind picked up on her strong ranting, and blew her blonde colored hair from her face, eyes bright with confidence. "Naruto-kun, this is a big mission. I know my life is on the line, and this village's, but I'll never let any of you down. This particular member will feel my wrath, and the full blast of the Raikugan. But I'll still keep my mark, because if they send in Itachi Uchiha to capture me for any reason, I'll need patience, but I'll have confidence."_

_I couldn't believe her for one second. She's in danger everyday with the Raikugan, and she's never lost a battle in this village. Everyone's on her back. I wish I was that way; a hero to Konaha. I wish I had that confidence now. I don't know why, but I have doubt for her this time. I never thought she would lose to Gaara because I believed her, and her old friend from childhood, Kimimaru, but now, when she was facing someone with Orochimaru's strength, maybe even more powerful… I can't imagine._

"_Naruto-kun, I must go. First, of all, thank you for the ramen, even though you didn't have any money and I had to pay for it." She laughed while I just stifled a stupid smile. "Second, have faith in yourself. You're prophetic, like the Libra. You'll have your purpose in life, possibly a big part of other citizens, well, if you still follow your dream in being the Hokage, but in that case, I think I'll take the position-"_

"_Ha! Like that'll happen, believe it!" I interrupted, smiling a lot wider now._

_Tetane smiled similarly to me again. "Good. Glad to hear it. Third… if I don't come back, probably for a while…" I frowned while she did. God, I swear we were related, "…Think back on this. Don't think of negativity for a second, okay? I and you are alike. We are optimistic, strong, and proud. Don't give up, I beg of you, don't give up." I nodded silently as she ruffled my hair. "You're a good friend, Naruto-kun. Remain faithful." _

_The wind had picked up, and with that gen-jutsu, her body blew away and evaporated away with the wind, leaves concealing her exit._

. . .

I never saw her after that. Granny Tsunade said she left after that in the morning, and she hasn't heard back, and if Tetane could, she would have replied, or one of the ANBU officers could have.

"Tetane Namikaze… right?"

My attention turned to the face in the corner of the tree, someone peering up at me. It was something… unreal. He was blending into the tree, like some sort of chameleon, and he was… green. With a Venus fly trap head. Creepy.

"WHAT THE HELL?" I hopped out of my position and started my Rasengan. This creep is going down.

"Wait, wait, Naruto Uzumaki, I am at peace at this time."

"I just can't believe a plant can talk! Wait… what?" My shadow clone disappeared and the Rasengan dissolved in my hands, but the plant person didn't move, he just smiled and frowned at me, one expression on each side… uh… creepy much? "You… algae person… you know about Tetane Namikaze?"

"Sure. She's alive, of course."

"Then where the hell is she? Tell me or the plant exterminator, my Rasengan, will eat your face!" I gritted my teeth, heartbeat soaring. This guy could give me everything I needed to know.

"First, put away the excuse to pull out your toy. _**Don't get me too excited boy, or flesh will be eaten from your side. **_Now, now, no need to be hasty, after all, he is the nine-tailed Jinchuuriki… okay, boy, we will tell you her state, but she's not coming back. _**Neither is the One-Tailed Bijuu.**_"

My brain pounded. The nine tails was yelling at me from inside my chakra, yellow teeth and eyes as bright as the Raikugan, begging me to free him. My eyes glowed, but nothing else could be released. "WHERE ARE THEY?"

"What do you think? _**They're at our base, idiot boy. Tetane's our prisoner. Kisame's prisoner. Gaara of the Desert is dead. Dead and gone. **_We shall rule, and you shall perish in our existence. So run, little kyuubi, and die." Then before I could react, he disappeared, filling in with the trees.

Oh my god. I felt like my stomach was going to give in, with so many heartbeats I got in after hearing that from the plant weirdo. Tetane… Gaara… no fucking way…

"KAKASHI SENSEI! SAKURA-CHAN! GRANNY CHIYO!" I screamed through my lungs, running through the forest, eyes closed, then opening with wild tears that kept streaming through.

Gaara. Dead. That's unbelievable… that's not happening with me coming to invade… he's going to be alright, he just needs a trip to the Suna hospital and we'll be all good, back to being Kazekage. He's my connection to the kyuubi inside me, and he understands me better than everyone else… and I understand him… there's no way. He'll be alive and well when I come save him.

Tetane. The words about her from that Akatsuki algae must be true. She's captured. She lost a fight. She told me that she'd never lose. She told me that everything would be fine. And that man that came to kidnap me two years ago… it wasn't Itachi like she'd thought… it was Kisame. And he beat her. I remember his face well, and he threatened me with no mercy. _Futile,_ he called me. Screw him… SCREW IT ALL! SHE'S NOT IN AKATSUKI! NEVER IN HER LIFE!

I ran… just running, running until my feet gave out. Gaara… Tetane… my best friends… gone…


	11. Faith and Beliefs

**Hello awesome readers! **

**So here are the comments:**

**-xxyangxx2006 (chap. 10): Why thanks! :DDDD (extra cookies for you!) and haha, I definitely feel bad for the poor blonde kid, I mean, his friend is dead, his sister's in Akatsuki… and all in one day, too. ): Yes, it was weird how Gaara came back to life, but apparently anything can happen in Naruto!**

**-WanderingGambler (chap.2): Haha, yes… great to mention too, because I'm making this sotry on fanfiction, except shorter chapters for people who can't stand long ones. And thank you A LOT for sticking with reading these things! :D Hope you continue!**

**-Jestie Uchiha (chap.10): Thanks! And with the down-hill stuff that goes on… that's how it goes. She does have a secret love with Deidara and Itachi, so that counts, and for silliness, Tobi appears in one part of chapter six. I know this isn't the torture story, but I'm glad you read this! ^_^**

**So there we go, do the usual, read, review, and please, I do like COMMENTS!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or the Akatsuki, just Tetane Namikaze :D**

**Enjoy!**

11:

Kisame's Point of View:

Well this was taking longer than Leader thought. All around us was silence, and the quietest of all was Tetane, staring plainly at the body of the Jinchuuriki in our process to obtain the Ichibi. I get that he was her friend, but that was the past, and now she belonged to the organization. She was loyal now, freshly involved, but the desperation of an old friend… I don't get it.

When the silence reached to a point, Zetsu came from the background, and re-evaporated onto the only finger without a member standing on it. "There are intruders coming in from the north…"

Tetane smirked silently as I did. "And who, might I ask?" Leader interrupted, opening his eyes for the first time in two days.

"We're in luck… _**the kyuubi Jinchuuriki host and his little friends…**_ and Kakashi Hatake, with Might Guy and his students. I assume they're here to pick up the Ichibi _**and Tetane Namikaze as well.**_"

She flinched, still holding the dragon sign, eyes closed. "There's no way."

"Apparently so," I replied, my grin plastered onto my face. "I'm not letting any distractions pop up from this extraction. Not when we have another target to look forward to capturing."

Leader nodded. "Then we need time if they plan to break in. I will form two clones from my Rinnegan, and whoever shall face these intruders will have to distract them, and give us more time."

I raised my eyebrows. I knew that name all too well, and he owes me the favor of punching him back. I'll make sure that man never moves. "Might Guy, hm? Tetane, tell me what you know about him."

She clenched her fists, trying to not let anyone see. "He's my Sensei, an experienced fighter in tai-jutsu."

That clears a few things up. No wonder she's so tense, she doesn't want her Sensei hurt. I'll change that in a matter of seconds with the affects that the loyalty to the organization has on her. He needs to see and hear about this. "Well, then, isn't that a surprise… I'll go ward off that Might Guy."

"And I shall fight against Kakashi Hatake, the kyuubi, and his friends," Itachi murmured. No shock there.

Tetane's eyes trembled, and I know her well enough to know what happens. When her pupils move up and down, she wants to join in, or she has an aggression against something. Or in this case, a little bit of both. "I know for a fact that I cannot join, and that I should be in danger if I dare see my old friends and Sensei's again. Please, both of you, hint of what happened to me, and then show them what the real power of the Akatsuki is."

She twists her words every time. She means something, and we think it's another thing. "We will, trust me," I growled, to her and to my upcoming opponents, "Something's getting past Samehada. And you're mine." My teeth clenched in thirst. I was always into fighting.

Itachi looked at her with those Sharingan eyes, and she nodded, not being told what to do. Leader blinked then. "Then Itachi, Kisame… get ready, because only thirty percent is needed from each of you for this, just to distract them for a specific amount of time. And also, Itachi, if possible… capture the kyuubi and Sharingan Kakashi. They'll be useful, especially that Naruto Uzumaki."

I grinned with confidence. "Okay, then Itachi-san, let's go. Tetane… this will be painless, well, not really."

My jutsu was released, and both of us had disappeared from the statue and extraction, leaving my keeping with herself. Hopefully this will be easy as we planned this to be.

Rock Lee's Point of View:

"Here! Here! I have some of the trail!" Pakkun growled, running as fast as me, nose buried on the ground. "Tetane's track is close!" Then the dog paused, and we stopped at the same pace. "Oh dear my dog soul."

"What is it?" Sensei questioned, eyes wide, no usually this cautious. I copied him, and Neji looked everywhere with his Byakugan.

"Tetane was not the only one here… it this isn't her ANBU squad, either. It's an Akatsuki, definitely. Someone…" he paused to sniff the air again, and then dug his nose to the ground, making out the scent only Pakkun could whiff. "…someone of the mist. His salty chakra is so distinct, and by the makings of it, he's absolutely one of the biggest chakra wielders to ever walk these lands."

I stiffened while Neji stood; eyes wide across the valley. Who could be as powerful as to possess the chakra amount of a bijuu? Whoever is was… he was responsible for Tetane's capture… and we'll never forgive him, even when he begs for defeat.

"He's coming! That man!"

I turned to Neji, who stood looking behind us, and as the dirt cleared, an object came at us in hunger and fight. It struck from the ground, and raced at exhilaration to take the first attack. That member knew we would be here. We all jumped in unison, and the object missed the mark by only a few seconds. Then came the dust from the deserted valley and Neji, with his Byakugan still activated, gulped, eyes wide. I don't think I've ever seen him this way.

"What is it, Neji?" I asked, heart beating.

I knew Neji extremely well, and so did Guy Sensei. The way he's looking at him was in pure hatred, and that look on Neji's face indicated that. He was very close friends with Tetane, and thought of her as a true competitor, that one day if he had passed her, then his dreams would be met. They were a good pairing, and I was always the one who trailed behind them in account of failure… that was, until Guy Sensei trains me to advance like they had. The truth was… I missed her too, Neji. She covered for me while I lay defeated and injured at the Chunin exams, crying tears… I never want to see tears like that again. You stood in annoyance that I had been cut down. She took care of me at heart, placing a flower on my windowsill with Sakura, though I didn't love her… its called friendship, Neji, a person like you will soon try to understand.

I could feel how Neji felt, and with that in mind, my heart rate went twice as fast, no chakra boiling through my veins, but youth, and protection, as Guy Sensei had always taught me… protect what you love the most.

Neji, with knees bent, and gritted teeth, had prepared himself. "You're the one… oh yes, you're the one we've been looking for."

Guy even stood off balance, and he's usually so true to himself… who was this opponent?

The dust cleared, and I saw someone, someone who stood off to me with true power. The first thing I noticed was the coat he was wearing proudly… the Akatsuki coat, with red clouds as the insignia. His stance was relaxed, and he held the object that we had dodged, that apparently was a really big sword. His skin; and I couldn't believe it… was blue. Pakkun was right, he was from Kiri. He was glaring at us, particularly my Sensei with beady eyes, and smiled when everything had cleared.

"You…" Guy started, trying to make him out, "Nope, nope… never mind…"

Neji's eyes looked from the Akatsuki member to all of us. "This guy has a monstrous amount of chakra… it's probably the most I've seen since Naruto."

The figure leaned in, grinning widely with sharp teeth. "So… you don't remember me I see, I guess the great green beast has an animal's brain as well."

How dare this man talk to my Sensei! He thought he would dominate this team, but he had only defeated one of us. If all of us were here, we would certainly win, but by the way he looked, and this tremendous chakra that he carried, we will be forced to keep cautious.

"Where's Tetane?" Neji yelled, his fists enclosed, ready in battle stance. I followed his gesture, same feeling burning.

The shark man laughed harshly to this, and gripped that sword of his tighter, lifting to measure out on one of his brutal shoulders. "If you realized what she's become, I think you'd rather pass on wanting find out. She's mine."

"You… then you have her! She's still alive. We have our chances." The corner of Neji's mouth lifted as he never took his eyes off of the Akatsuki member. He laughed again, but lightly, leaning in. "Forget finding her. She's never coming back, and by the way she's decided, Tetane Namikaze is taken into our organization for immense purposes."

"She'll never betray her comrades!" I argued, unwrapping my bandages. Neji, who stood in front of me, shook his head for me to keep silent. My eyes blazed with dissatisfaction. "I don't care if Tetane's captured or being tortured right now as we speak… she's never going to give up on her comrades!"

He smirked again. "That's not the way I see it. It took a little time to crack at her, but she manages. Don't worry; you might have a chance of getting all of your pathetic lives spared by her, if she even has a morsel of respect for any of you when we take over." 

"Son of a-" I aimed to run to give him back his words, but Sensei's touch on my shoulder provoked me from doing anything irrational yet. "Lee, let him go. We'll show him."

More laughter presumed. "And this comes from the human with less intelligence than an animal. I would like to see you try, Might Guy."

. . .

Naruto's Point of View:

It's official. I hate gen-jutsu.

These shuriken hurt all over the place, and I have to break out of this illusion! Itachi, floating high with that gen-jutsu can do whatever he wants to me… just don't give up… keep yourself together…

He faced me again with that Sharingan, that stupid boring expression on his face, and I'm trembling due to this! This can be broken, somehow! I believe I did it right the first time, but what about now?

His eyes locked onto mine, and then… my skin… it was peeling off, bits of my skin floating through the breeze, and another face was on my other half… no, it couldn't be… Sasuke?

"Naruto, it's been a while… " Oh my god this is insane! My hands were breaking apart, and right when I had it. Then one hand came of the attack on my neck, and I was strangling myself, or Sasuke was strangling me. I tried to fight it off by using my free hand to pull my other hand off my throat.

"Sasuke, Sasuke! Why are you doing this to me?"

"I should have finished you long ago, Naruto. But I couldn't. Why? Why?"

Then as soon as he stopped talking, a bulge came out of my stomach, revealing the face of Sakura glaring at me, frustrated. "Why didn't you save Sasuke-kun? I trusted you to stop him!"

Then someone else had grown, twisting on my left shoulder. Kakashi…

"If you had only treated your friends better, then you wouldn't be such scum."

Someone spoke from the palm of my hand, begging. "Why are you always the one? Can't I have better?" The eye revealed itself, having the same turquoise iris that Gaara has. "I'm always alone."

Then from the sun casted, my shadow had stretched into the body of Tetane, eyes only seen but not her full body, which had been covered in darkness. She showed agony and judgment in those golden eyes. "I was too ignorant, but you could have stopped me. Why? I should have died than spent my eternity with my enemy. I blame you, Naruto-kun."

My head buzzed, and with that last illusion, tears started to form and followed in a stream afterwards. _None of this is true; get out of here, get out of here!_

"I will kill you, someday."

"You failed to me, and to Sasuke-kun's safety."

"I thought you were better than what you're showing me."

"Why do you end up being the better person; I am a monster after all."

"My life is over… and you never paused to cease it. You made me fall."

Damn it, damn it! "Someone… anyone… force chakra into me…" I remember Tetane's words well in my head from that time we were training together, that one day; she showed me a simple way to break out of a gen-jutsu. She had told me that someone had to disrupt the jutsu by grabbing hold of your reality, or if that's not possible, then disrupt the attacker to dispel the gen-jutsu. If she was only here right now… I wish she could see me. "Tetane… Tetane…"

Then all of reality came back, leaving me at my feet, cold and stiff, staring into open with Sakura and Granny Chiyo grabbing onto my arms. "Thank god, Naruto!"

"Don't worry, boy, it was only the gen-jutsu," Granny sighed, looking at Itachi across from us.

My life ceased. I just couldn't believe that worked… Tetane… thank you. I'll fight him for you!

"It was Tetane, wasn't it, Naruto?" Sakura paused, smiling with a smirk. I faced Itachi with a grin. "Sure as hell was. A long time ago. She'll never betray me, no matter how much she's tortured or controlled by you… she'll never give up on her friends!"

His eyes never widened. "She was dealt with, and I control her. She gave up on you."

"NEVER IN MY LIFE!" I screamed, ready to attack with no mercy, "YOU DON'T UNERSTAND HER! SHE'S GUNNA BREAK OUT!"

"Sure, the Akatsuki have Tetane," Sakura almost spoke, mostly towards herself, "But she's my best friend, and no one else is there for her more than us!"

"All foolish talk," Itachi sighed, eyes closed, "You don't understand our motives. When she belongs to the organization, we know that she is bonded. She will never come back, no matter how much you speak about the pitiful meanings for friendship. You learn nothing from that."

This guy was pissing me off. He doesn't know anything, no matter how much he says that she's gone. I looked to Sakura-chan, and her eyes narrowed, not afraid to face that Sharingan. Then I saw Kakashi come out of the blue, calmly and serious.

"He probably used the Sharingan on her to join after Kisame got to her… but that's not Tetane. She's better than that. The Raikugan always beats the Sharingan in every battle… Naruto, cover my back."

I nodded with a smirk. "You've got it, believe it."

"And Sakura and Granny Chiyo keep away from his eyes. You don't know what he'll do." The two kunoichi nodded in response.

I hope we kick this guy's ass. We need Tetane back fast, and save Gaara before it's too late… but I have the feeling that we'll succeed in the end. I smiled with a grin as I got into battle stance.

. . .

Tetane's Point of View:

It's been too long for such stalling. Where were they? Surely they must eat their words right now… but usually they would have come back at this time. I stand with cold feet upon this state, keeping these two jutsu's intact, and watching one of my friends dying before me, the life getting scraped out of his inners. Maybe the fact that they aren't here… is because they got captured? No, no, both of them are better than that, especially Kisame. Stalling at this amount of time should be enough; the Ichibi is almost extracted from Gaara.

"Look who's back," one of us murmured.

My eyes were directed to the opened eyes of my captors. I smirked silently as I focused on my hand-signs, while Itachi and Kisame were attentive towards Leader, like nothing had gone abnormal in their missions. "Well?"

"We had stalled them enough, Leader," Itachi responded, "If they ever think of coming to invade, it will be too late."

"Though all of them had a drive to them," Kisame muttered, "And they couldn't let go of the fact that Tetane Namikaze is still on their side." He snickered, attentive towards me now. I stared at him as well, responding to this. "Better than you thought… right?"

"Heh. They're certainly not cowards, I'll give you that, but there's no chance." He turned away, declaring his opinion as the truth. "They truly don't know what our organization is capable of."

"And none shall the chance," I robotically called, closing my eyes in capability of silence.

"We we rule as a dominant force…" Sasori recalled in the shadows.

"… and never die." The one called Kakuzu promised. Promise might not be the stronger word, though.

"As the Akatsuki, we will continue to remain under the grasp of a petty society, and recall to the world when the time is right. Then we will rise as one, and spread our power to the villages and lands, and everyone shall know our name, and tremble," Leader announced, "And terror will rule the land, and pain will come and take over. And each one of you will earn their share of power."

The chorus mumbled together evenly. "Yes, Leader-sama."

I trembled in my words while everyone seemed smooth while speaking. Gaara was almost done, and there was nothing to be remade when he is finally extracted from the Ichibi. This organization picked demons out of hell itself, hearts darker than the night, and people merciless in the lives of others.

The eye in which was filling had formed solid, and the chakra that had engulfed the Kazekage had subsided, returning to the stone mouth, gaping open, eating the Ichibi whole, sucking the demon into our source of power inside the statue. Mission completed… despairingly.

The Kazekage, my friend, Naruto's counterpart, and Suna's greatest chance fell without anyone to catch him. His corpse collapsed on the dirty ground in the middle of all of us, and it was finally declared… Sabaku no Gaara was dead.

And in that silence I wanted to mourn, to feel so guilty that I was one of the causes of his death. I bet his last waking moments were thought of me and my awful betrayal. And in the end, if I do not succeed… my brother would have the same fate…

No. That will never happen, and I shall succeed. There is not even a hesitation in protecting the people and village I care for with everything I have. I smirked, my cheekbones rising for the vision to my future.

Kisame immediately saw this for he desired to see my reaction to this three-day procedure. "Well, I'm glad you're adjusting, Tetane."

I stumbled mentally. He thought that I was smiling for the purposes of the loyalty for the Akatsuki. Might as well take this for benefit, rather than to waste a chance to bond. "Yes, and now we have the monstrous chakra of the Ichibi. Besides… that irrelevant kid caused me a scar on my right leg from a Jinchuuriki attack a few years ago. This is revenge and a gain for the rights of the Akatsuki." I made it sound persuasive, and he nodded. I was getting there.

"Leader… _**trespassers at the front…"**_

I turned my head towards the spy, and some snickered. How could they make it…?

"No matter. All of you are dismissed… Deidara, Sasori… stay here for the confrontation. Capture the kyuubi, at least. I don't want an unnecessary mess," Leader replied, absolutely clam about this particular position.

Deidara smiled. "Can't wait, hm."

Sasori nodded. "They will tremble when they see my art."

"More like my art, hm. Everything that's supposed to be kept forever will not serve its purpose to amaze."

"Eternal art shall reign, and nothing comes out of something temporary."

What idiots, sometimes. But the fact that they were facing my loved ones… chills my bones with concern. And with Deidara… I feel like this is the time he will die.

"Deidara…" I started, and the blonde terrorist turned to me, more brightness to his azure blue eyes.

"Hm, Tetane?"

I was silent at first, and then stared at him intensely, emotion burning in my visible golden eyes. "Don't choke, okay?"

He snorted with ignorance. "Sometimes you make me laugh, Tetane. Just watch." He recalled my words that I had spoken before I had hopped off his created clay bird at the restaurant, and he smiled, breaking my heart in the process. I love him… and I care for my village and my brother. I'm torn between two sides, but for now…

"I trust you."

His smile widened, full of an energy and passion. "Let's do it then, hm!"

Leader scanned us, and our bright spheres dulled until the embers faded, and with that, my body disappeared, and my eyes opened on the other side, along with both of my partners. I breathed in and out, placing my weary hands onto the rock, resting my body.

"You realize that your old friends are doomed, right?" Kisame noted with a hint of arrogance, smirking in the process. I tried to copy him. "I trust in him, as I said earlier."

"Those two are talented, indeed," Itachi added casually, "Especially Sasori."

"I understand that very well, Itachi. I have no struggle in facing the reality and my loyalty."

I love lying about complete and utter bullshit like that. I believed in Naruto, Sakura, and my team too much to leave them without unsaid faith from my side. I was still here, believing in them. I will complete my mission. And I will destroy this hell-picked organization.

"Come. Let's go back," Itachi commanded in his deep voice, and with that, he stood, and we followed in pursuit, the sunset fading behind the magenta mountains.

I will fight for the revenge of Gaara. I will pray for my release. And most certainly… I will always pray for my brother and everyone else I hold dear to be safe… and win.


	12. Expectations Met

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12

We got back to base within the midday, and all of us broke apart without any response from anyone. Kisame managed to get upstairs and get some sleep on the days missed for the extraction, while Itachi wanted to privately train himself, feeling weakened emotionally by the fight Naruto and his comrades had given him. Better not pressure yourself, brother.

I went from the elevator in the hotel to my room on the top floor. I opened my door to the smell of the rain, continuously dripping down the window pane, left open that one day. The beige covers were tossed by the wind, leaving my bed disorganized. And flying towards my windowsill was Jiyuu, fully healed and singing in victory.

"Tori… tori… that's a good sign." I held my finger up and he flew in order, landing on my index finger, whistling proudly. "Freedom shall come."

He flew back to his original spot, and as I took off my Akatsuki cloak, still stained with dry blood, unable to get off, another bird flew next to him. I blinked in surprise. Jiyuu took a little journey when I was gone. She was a cardinal with blood red plumage and a black beak with a speckle of white. They nestled closely together, cooing in unison. I lowered my lids and I sweet smile broke upon my face.

"A girlfriend, huh? Looks like you grew more than a new wing," I sighed and curled my hand into a ball, my face leaning against it, my posture leaning against the pane. The birds, with soprano voices, sung in response.

Then two other littler birds flew in as well. Both were black with a tuft of either gold or red at the chest. "Kids too, huh? Jiyuu, you're a productive bird." I started laughing lightly. "So this is what freedom looks like when it progresses… Jiyuu, you've got a future, now. And you are fully healed. You have no necessary needs for me, anymore."

The birds tweeted. And Jiyuu came close to my finger again, and rubbed his head against it in warmth. Then I looked more closely at him. Near his little ankle, a miniature note was tied upon him. He lifted his leg in response, and in confusion and interest, I untied the bond and kept the scroll. "Thank you. You mean a lot to me spiritually. Take care of that family."

He whistled, and with his mate and offspring, they flew off together, making their way through the buildings and the teardrops of rain pouring from the grey skies of Amegakure. I was happy for him, and his journey of freedom from his limp. Maybe that could be me and his hellish organization… in the future, when all goes my way. My last thought wandered onto Jiyuu, and then I looked at the note. I unraveled it in curiosity. Who would know this bird?

_Tetane._

_I'm on your side. Nothing to be afraid of, nothing to fear. I've heard of this so called organization, and I plan to help. You were a light in a tunnel of darkness for me. If I could only break out of these chains, I would chase after you. You are my healer and my control. I hope to see you again, if I do not bear the suffering of others before me. This is my bond, and I see you breaking my evil. _

_Thank you for your understanding._

My eyebrows narrowed. Who in the right mind…? I don't think I know this person; none of the words connect to anyone I know. I'll keep it, though, for words of reassurance. I think I'll find this person with the courage to write to me in this area and this difficult of a struggle. I found the side drawer on the right of my bed and folded in there, tucking it on the bottom of everything already put, and closed it, confused… yet, admired. It felt good to know that someone knew of my struggle here.

I took the elevator downstairs to the main floor, where the meeting place and the kitchen was. I traveled to the dining room, and into the kitchen, dying for something to eat around this place. My hand rested on the fridge holder, and I opened it, seeing some interesting foods. There was a lot of meat stocked, and with that, every food group present. The in the back… was a human hand, a finger poking out of the meat section. That must be Zetsu's share. My eyes widened when the stiff of blood from that remain whiffed from the tip of my nose. I almost heaved, and grabbed a peach before I felt like passing out. As once as a tried to close the fridge door, a person was leaning against that side of the fridge. One of the Zombie Combo, the one called Hidan, looked at me with a glint in his poisonous eyes and a canine and mischievous smile widened when he saw my surprised reaction. "Hey there, sweetheart."

I completely closed the fridge with an annoyed expression and tried to walk away, taking the first bite of my peach, then he rounded on me again, arm blocking the exit, grinning the same stupid expression.

"That's the exit you're blocking, primitive. Now stand aside before I really get annoyed."

Hidan slammed his fist on the wall again. "Don't be a bitch, angel. I don't even know your name."

"You haven't been paying attention to my speech or Leader's words, have you? Are you just in the organization to make yourself look like an idiot with no way of helping?"

"Just tell me your god damned name."

I sighed. This was idiotic. "Tetane Namikaze, now get out of my way before I use the Raikugan."

He was caught still, but he snickered, shrugging. "Whatever. At least I get to look into those gorgeous eyes… and maybe, just now…" Hidan came upon me, grabbing my waist, pressing my face in. Then my temper ran short as I caught his neck, squeezing his flesh and my fire-based chakra built up on my fingertips. Hidan squealed, and let go of me, then lure burned into his sly eyes. "I swear Jashin made a bitch like you for me."

"Hidan. Stop, before we need to recruit another member."

I turned around while Hidan swore under his breath, gripping his fists. There was his partner, Kakuzu, with narrowed pale green eyes of a ghost. The Jashinist reacted immaturely. "What the fuck, Kakuzu? Way to spoil a fucking meet and greet!"

"I don't need your talk, idiot."

I decided to interrupt the two zombie combo, extremely aggravated by all this. "Can I at least get through? I have become very impatient here, and I need no time for nonsense."

Hidan, gritting his teeth, made his way out of the door. The masked member glared at me with those haunting eyes while his immature partner growled under his breath, biting his lip, making the blood flow. "Sure. Just ignore this pervert who unfortunately is my partner-"

"Oy!"

"Whatever, Hidan. Just shut up. And one thing for you, Tetane Namikaze…" he was attentive towards me, and I stared at him, taking another bite out of my peach, some of the juice flowing out of my mouth, "You're training with me tomorrow, Leader's orders, sadly. I don't feel like doing much of a lesson, but he promised I would get paid more in my paycheck. As a bonus, actually."

I raised my eyebrows as I took another bite, nearing to the core. I'll be training with him for a portion of the day? That will be interesting. I don't know this man, but he seems capable to tear a village apart.

"Well, okay then. Just tell your partner to get off my ass, other than that…" I stumbled a light laughter to myself while Hidan tried to grab my neck, and Kakuzu pulled him to the side, releasing those strings of his onto his body, "…I will remember. I look forward to it, Kakuzu-san."

I left, sucking more juice out of the peach, heading up to the elevator. Training with Kakuzu… a zombie brother… I remember Kisame's words about them…

"_They live… prying and slaughtering others around them. They survive on other people."_

A chill came upon my bones and I pressed the upper arrow of the elevator. Maybe it was true… maybe I could be in danger if this training was with one of these zombie combo partners. Hidan… he already holds a grudge, and he's out for blood. Kakuzu, he seems conservative. Maybe we could relate… if I could get on his good side.

The elevator door opened, and there was Itachi, eyes narrowed when upon contact with my widened eyes. I shrunk back, unable whether to respond or just make way for him. I unintentionally blushed, and almost stumbled to the floor. Way to go, Tetane, you can't keep your consciousness in front of an irrelevant boy like this; an Uchiha, especially.

"Tetane."

"Itachi-kun."

"I'm glad I could find you."

"Really?" I sounded shy. Tetane, it's just a stupid, spoiled, ignorant Uchiha. Keep walking and keep your distance. But those eyes… I could never keep my vision off of him. Those eyes, those accursed eyes…

"Yes," he plainly responded, narrowing those Sharingan eyes, "And we have a lesson. It starts now, as a matter of fact. So please, follow me."

A lesson. Ah, I recalled our conversation quickly, and how suddenly the Leader had caught interest with this man training me along with Kisame. We were both extremely talented gen-jutsu artists, but he could outsmart me in numerous ways. He knew how to control his Sharingan more than I could control my eye, and he knew every trick in the book about casting one type of gen-jutsu against another type. And besides… I could get to know him. Unless, he never shows those hidden emotions. No one sane could have killed their entire clan, and family, without feeling a twinge of feeling. I could make him spill about his relation to Sasuke. To Orochimaru. To everyone in this organization. I could get what I know and use it against them.

I did what he said. His trail led to the outdoors, through the city of broken buildings and broken spirits. It wasn't raining, which was strange for an area called Amegakure. The fog though was difficult to navigate though, but Itachi's tracks were evident through an airway passage from which he had passed by. I had made it to an area outside, in the woods, with a stream of water trickling to an extent to a pond area. The clearing was all terrain in the center of trees with targets on each of the trees, and with each target, a perfectly matched kunai stuck perfectly in the middle. So I see… this is Itachi's training center.

The Uchiha turned to me in complete and normal seriousness, and I murmured deeply. "So this is it, huh. Even a person like you would have to practice to perfect." I turned my head towards every single target. Everyone was hit. Not a single one was missed. How can someone like him need to practice? It's just… god, he's so brilliant.

"Trust me on this…" he muttered, looking on with me from a distance, "… I need more production. But I didn't arrange this to falsely admire things… I came here today to inspect what the Raikugan is capable of." He turned to me, coming to my distance. "Now please, just show me what this eye can do. Experiment on me."

Experiment. Weird words to consider, but I'll perform my example. "Look into my eyes then, Uchiha."

He did as he was told by me, and I unleashed them out, and he caught on. "Alright."

"There's an apple in your hand."

From his eyes, a simple Macintosh formed into his hand, the texture smooth and the skin cold and refreshed. "You can feel this, correct? I'm controlling your sensation nerves from the illusion in your brain implanted by one simple act of the Raikugan. The chakra that you had kept has been taken over by me as well. It's an exceptional gen-jutsu, and I'm proud of it."

He starred gapingly into his hand, eyes narrowed as he touched air from my perspective. I smiled. "Now take a bite, and feel the juice."

He obeyed without question, and he did in fact taste it, and the juice boiled coolly in his tongue. "Even on every feeling in your body is controlled by your mind, controlled by my little gen-jutsu. And the thing is, in reality, this is nothing."

He looked from the apple to my burning, flashing red eyes, then down at the apple again. "This is truly a gen-jutsu, and I can't even decrepit this chakra influence… even with my Sharingan." He looked up, his hand still on the imaginary apple. Then it disappeared by my will, and he clenched his hand, feeling nothing but air. I smirked. "Now you're released to reality."

He stood still. "Control. That is what the Raikugan truly stands for."

"Absolutely." Now could he understand the true powers of the Raikugan? His arrogance might be big, but my superiority over that Sharingan rules all terms. I grinned in minor victory. "At least you understand. Your little brother Sasuke has no further concept about what he has endangered himself with-"

"-I didn't say that you were more skilled at using this type of gen-jutsu, did I?"

I eyes intensified, and my lids lowered, my posture as well. "What makes you think that you are superior to me and my abilities? I can control everything to reality as possible! I can make my mark upon history as the greatest kunoichi to ever use gen-jutsu!"

"But you lack experience," his deep voice rumbled, his face darker still, "and that only matters. Look how you brag upon what you have… it's powerful, yes, I am in agreement, but you cannot be boasting about irrelevant purposes just as this. You can make something so little out of something so big."

I was really getting irritated with this man. I could hear the glisten of truth and wisdom in his tenor voice, but my pride was worth much more than his opinion. "And apparently you can make something so big out of something so little Uchiha? That Sharingan has haunted me for years on end, and I can't stand that people favor that over the Raikugan! It's pure humiliation! A true place for my eye is superior-"

"-Kisame was right." Was all that was said from Itachi's lips. A cold wind blew, and my anger boiled.

"What the hell did he say to you?"

He sighed plainly. "That you're overconfident in yourself. You need to learn from others."

My mind pounded like a beating drum. He couldn't possibly… no, nothing could read my thoughts but myself. It only took a few minutes for him to truly see what I have in personality. It was a weakness of mine; it lead me to my demise. Then I had slurred the words that would truly weaken my pride.

"Then show me. Show me what you are capable of with such little."

Then Itachi did something unexpected. He had smirked and giggled lightly for a slight second, and then raised his handsome face in regularity, eyes closed, and eyelashes bristling his high cheekbones. I stood in prearrange. I had heard about this particular Uchiha and his Mangekyo Sharingan, how it could overtake your memories and stab your heart within a few seconds of eye contact. Nightmares would spring to life, and all would fall emotionally. And the worst case scenario… you could mentally die from this jutsu. Confidence was on my side, though, and nothing was worth than losing again, three times in one month. It would be unbearable.

My eyes stayed on his, and slowly, his lids opened into a shuriken shaped form upon his eye, engulfed by scarlet red on the outsides. Then… life stopped from there.

All was nothing. Then red and blacked formed in the sky, leaving my body to form, and for my eyes to adjust to this already cruel environment. My Raikugan was unleashed, I could only concur that much on the information. Then my eyes fully opened to reveal my body onto something, stabbing my inners. No… I was stabbed already. I looked down in weary defeat. Six swords had landed a place into my stomach and internal organs, sticking into a rocky mountain. My hands were pinned as well from kunai, no blood evident on any sources. I groaned in desperation, but no call was made to answer.

Then I had looked down, eyes widened. There on the terrain were people, people I had grown to know, people whom I had shared a piece of my heart with. They were fighting huge masses of cloaked Akatsuki members, each person with one of them, fighting in combat with each of their techniques. I cried out, but nothing was heard. Then, one sound was heard. A scream, a person screaming my name in defeat. The slain had been an innocent protector of Konaha.

Then, a few seconds later, another one fell, and the time deteriorated from me as a few fell, then hundreds, each one recognized by me and me alone. Screams were incessant, and the blood stains on the ground made a river of scarlet. My heart pounded greatly, and nothing could stop this slaughter from happening. Struggles were made, and every soul left was my fault. Torturous last words included my name, heard from all of the world to disappoint.

My emotions overflowed, and tears streamed my eyes. It was not the physical pain of the swords, but the heartbreak of endless war. I dreaded the thought of war, and I was one of the incompetent reasons that the Third Shinobi War had taken part. All of this… all of this… what was its purpose?

"Tetane Namikaze…"

One voice rang from the heavens as I continued to not bear my eyes at the sight of my loved ones being killed and trying to escape from those swords sticking from the earth in which I was pinned to. I looked up into the smoky black clouds and blood red skies and air, looking for that voice of reason again.

"You cannot resist, can you?"

That voice became more solid as above my cliff a body was formed, higher than me, leaning towards me at the bottom with no sympathy hidden in those red eyes that I had grown to detest. "Itachi… god… you cannot cause this physically to me…"

He nodded in simplicity. "It's as simplistic as your Raikugan, Tetane. A mental torture, practiced. It was nothing with just the simple Sharingan, it needed to progress. See; look at your brother, Naruto Uzumaki, down below, fighting desperately for clinging onto life. He will die in three, two, one…"

A sword came upon my sibling's heart, and with a maddening scream of pain, his spirit left his body before his body came upon contact with the ground of blood below him. "No… NO!

"A true feeling, isn't it?" Itachi murmured, "Nothing is comparable to the utter insanity caused my Tsukuyomi. Nothing. It cannot control you, but it can eat you alive if I wanted to with only the usage of a nightmare."

My pain both internally and physically made my body tremble, and as many other screams from familiar people were heard repeatedly, I cried out, "You cannot break me!" My eyes glowed red as everything faded slowly, my mentality slipping somewhat from Itachi's grip. I could feel myself from consciousness from a trance-like state, and with another furious scream coming from my overused throat; I could feel the earth before me, shaking in my might as chakra gathered all around my body. Everything expanded, and I opened my eyes into reality.

I collapsed before the elder Uchiha in sweat, and my breathing pace increased as my heart pumped. How could one look almost drive me into madness? Itachi looked at me in a serious shock, silent yet expressive.

"You have a mind set upon you, Tetane-chan."

I looked up after a few seconds of catching my breath and rehabilitating from dizzying settlements upon my brain. Sweat dripped from my eyebrow onto the wetter ground. "Heh… how is that?"

"You resisted through Tsukuyomi. No one has ever broken fully out of Tsukuyomi. Not even an Uchiha."

I stood up after my mentality fully recovered, widened my eyes from the shock of seeing Itachi Uchiha in a state of his own surprise. "Surprised?" I grinned with a bead of sweat trickling down onto my neck. I leaned onto a nearby tree for support while suddenly he looked at me with intensity burning in his deactivated, but dulled Sharingan eyes. Then abruptly, Itachi turned his back, walking to make his way towards the base in struggle. I followed, my shocked muscles trying to react to run after him. I leaned tree after tree to come follow in pursuit.

"Wait… Itachi! Where are you headed-"

The windswept came to block my distance from his. With my arm partly outstretched to him and wide eyes of concern, he turned his head to me, the rain starting to pour into the depths of the woods. With a breath, he disappeared in the wind, nothing left behind him.

_That was his breaking point, _I thought in surprise and intensity, _he cannot have thought so any other way. _I decided to walk to the base in pursuit of him and his leavings.

. . .

Sasori's Point of View:

My vision whitened and searing pain through my chest had me defeated. Defeated. By two stupid kunoichi, even so? Slumped into the dirt with all the rest of my internal creations, built from the heavy hands of their creator who falls last of all. My parents. They stood beside me, each piercing my heart literally and emotionally. I had loved them without flesh, bone, and blood needed. I put everything into my art, and now they were fallen from my grasp as my own soul will perish upon all of my hard work. I stood with wide, unmoving eyes, and blood spurted out of my mouth with an inconsiderable amount dripping from my central heart. The two women widen their eyes to see Acasuna No Sasori at his knees. The only way was to finally accept who I really was. I was a puppet to all.

Then the pink haired kunoichi to the left of Chiyo was panting, and my eyes blurred. My vision began to fail as she came up to me, golden hair and golden eyes blazing through my memories. The voice had repeated itself a thousand times before my madness.

"_Even if you think you're going to win every time, you have to lose once. You'll never learn, and you'll never get over the loss that stabs at your ambitions so deep like a fatal cut in the heart."_

How painfully ironic. I widened my eyes to an extent to Tetane Namikaze, who looked at my body with a shocked response.

"And now you won. Congratulations. I remembered our little deal, Tetane Namikaze, so I might as well give it to you at this moment." I stood next to my parents in apologetic manner, and proceeded with choking words to my victor.

"You wanted to find out more about Orochimaru, didn't you?"

Tetane stopped right in front of me, golden eyes widened. I tilted my head downwards, smirking. "I remember the compromise very well, girl, and I am on the verge of death. I cannot provide any other way to redeem myself. So here you go, since you have proved me wrong for all my ways. I was assigned to meet with Orochimaru in seven days, at the high noon at the Bridge of Sorrows, but he cannot make it, but his assistant, who is my subordinate spying on him, shall come and share secrets. You will find him… besides… I am nothing…. Nothing anymore… nothing but a puppet…"

My heart gave, and I fell to the floor. Acasuna No Sasori is no more. Death, I welcome you into open arms to swallow me whole.


	13. Fool's Gold

**Hello again! :D**

**So this is the thirteenth update, and may I say, has the zombie bros battle! (Warning: Blood and swearing… that means you, Hidan.)**

**So anyways, Comments!**

**-HistoryNerd (chap.12): I'm glad you love it! Hehe, and I hope the summary clears some things up!**

**-GEMfaerie (in general): Thanks for all the reviews! Um, for your questions and comments: Sasori is one of my favorite characters to write about, and to see another point of view is great! Haha, and with Tetane leaving and Sasuke gone, Naruto's really gunna go emo ): And with the Shikaku, it is also the Ichibi, they're just two separate names for the demon Gaara had. And yes, Sasori was hallucinating that Tetane was Sakura from the shock of losing… and the fact that he was dying :P Thanks again for all of the comments!**

**-narikokurayami (chap.12): I appreciate it! Yeah, I thought of your story and mine, and we both have very similar characters, but the plots are different :3**

**-xxyangxx2006 (chap.12): Haha, Tetane has resistance against gen-jutsu when she has all of her chakra, and that time she did. And with Sasori, yeah, he thought Sakura was Tetane… that's why he told Sakura about Oro's meeting! (my way of the story, maybe) :P But anyways, thanks again!**

**So here ya go, do what you do… and REVIEW!**

**Thanks, and I'm out of here! Hope you enjoy! **

13

Tetane's Point of View:

It's been too long since Deidara and Sasori left to confront my enraged brother and his comrades. The two had sounded confident about what they had to accomplish for their 'art', but with the time spent on trying to complete their directed mission, well, they had underestimated my friends by a huge rate. Deidara, with one arm accompanied in his arsenal, had seen Gaara's jutsu and had underestimated him as well, with his ability to wield sand on his fingertips. With Naruto, however, might be a surprise. Sasori will have his fate handed to him in no time, no absolute doubt about that. But whoever is fighting him will have to fight for their lives if I was to succeed in the bet against that man.

I could never find Itachi; he was not to be seen, never wanted to be seen by me. He was surprised, of course, by the amount of resistance I had with the chakra in my body, but I never knew he would react this way. The Mangekyo Sharingan was horrific, and torturous, for something so much less advanced than my eye. I guess his emotions were not to be seen by me, was my prediction.

I sat depressingly against the wall of the roof, a little porch over looking parts of the ruins that were a powerful city. I could see where Pein had gotten the sense of his pride, his valor, from the view of looking down upon a civilization. It made me superior. I felt Pein's dominance with the height of his being. I stood up silently, leaning my posture against the split gate on the edge of the roof. Then a presence of chakra was sensed by me from my backside. I didn't even have to look.

"So how did you know out of all the other places, I would be right here?"

I turned my head and Kisame snickered as always. "You always look out into the distance somewhere, and it just so happened I guessed the right place where you would be."

I turned directly around; making sure a sarcastic smile suited this conversation. "Hm, a lucky chance?" Then my smile disappeared as I sighed to myself, turning my eyes back at the blue-skinned man. "So have you heard from Deidara and Sasori yet?"

"Sadly, no." He came my way, crossing his arms. "Well, maybe sad for Deidara, but I know you're not sad for Sasori." He spoke some of the truth, and I accepted it. I gave a little laugh, and narrowed my eyes. "Well, absolutely-"

"KISAME-SENPAI! TETANE-SAMA!"

There came Tobi, in a frantic and arms held up high in childish alarm. Kisame and I looked at him in ignorance as he looked from the eyehole in his mask from both of us. He pulled on my arm and Kisame's, but we didn't budge for this… energetic idiot. "Kisame-Senpai, Tetane-sama… it's important! Deidara-Senpai just got back! And it's bad! Let's go!"

My heart skipped a beat in my chest, and my thoughts blurred for a moment in time. So many questions raced inside my brain all at once, with my eyes widened while Kisame had remained emotionless. "Is Deidara hurt in anyway?"

Tobi chuckled, scratching his back in confusion. "Well, eh, he was actually quite lively an hour ago… heh heh…"

My temper was running short of this child. "Damn you irrelevant baka, I need to see him… where is he?" I had come up to him, deadly serious, hand held upon my lightning kunai. I looked down, and then looked up angrily to Tobi, who was trembling like a leaf.

"Uh, uh… DOWNSTAIRS! In the main hall, he's just coming from the mission! Just don't hurt me, Tetane-sama!" He whimpered, and I let go, backing up, headed towards the door in disgust. "I have no time for games." Then I stormed out, headed for the elevator, with Kisame following and Tobi later in silly pursuit. "Wait! TET-TETANE-SAMA! KISAME-SENPAI! Wait up for me!"

Kisame snickered. "Why are you Tetane-sama?"

I was running out of patience as I reached the elevator in determination. But I replied in a smile. "Because I have my motives."

. . .

We reached the target setting in seconds, with my heart beating quicker and faster with the chances I had with the two artist brothers and then my chances at succeeding my ultimate goal here would expand. Kisame next to me wasn't fully in alarm, but for his comrades' sake, he would have to show a bit of worry for what had happened.

We came hurrying into the main lobby, and there entering was Deidara in a sweat. I could feel his darkened heart weakened by strain, and by my shock… two of his arms were ripped apart from the structure of his body. His robes were tattered by the sleeves, and by the blood, he was losing it little bit by little bit. His eyes looked at mine, and still breathing heavily, he smiled in his cocky way.

"Tetane… hey…"

I rushed to him in eyes of worry, helping him stand. "Oh my god, Deidara, what the hell happened to you?"

I didn't get a full response from the cocky blonde, because he sighed and fell into my arms in a faint. I felt his pulse lower in my contact with my skin as I carried him deeper into the main room. "Goddamn, Deidara… why do you pass out on me? Ugh, Kisame, where's the medical room?" I looked into the eyes of my partner, and he hesitated by my reaction to Deidara's fall and appearance. He saw the worry in my eyes.

"Um, downstairs, from the elevator, first left door?" He gave it in the form of a confused answer, more dazed than anything. I was alerted to the direction of the elevator, and managed to hold the unconscious Deidara by his waist walking towards the direction of the medical room. I thought of Kisame looking me in the eyes. He knew I was worried about him, he knew it, but he didn't understand the value of love I had put upon his will. I think something had awakened within his emotions; a twinge in the heart. Hopefully this grows, but I was more excited about Deidara. Once he awakens, he shall tell me about his battle, and Sasori, where he is now and if his state is still… alive. I smiled evilly as the door for the downstairs had opened.

I had made Deidara lean on me, while struggling with his body weight upon mine, stumbling through the hall until I reached the first left door that Kisame had told me about. With the door creaking open, I carried him in, placing on the nearest bed, one out of three in the room. I scanned the premises, looking for a case of bandages. The setting was pale white, smaller than regular public rooms, and some places on the concrete floor had splotches of scarlet unclean. I groaned in upset of the cleanliness of what should be the most anti-bacterial place in the main base and searched through the three cabinets. I saw a roll, and tape along side. As I grabbed both, a groan was heard from the bed across from where I was.

"God, my freaking head, hm…"

I slammed the cabinet, looking upon an unconscious Deidara, moaning sleepily. With the roll of tape in my mouth and the other rolls of bandages on my fists, I came over to him. His hair was sprawled all over the pillow, and his forehead was in a sweat. The white sheets had been soaking up the blood from his arm.

"Hold on, Deidara, I'm present with you…" I had slipped off his tattered and stained cloak, revealing a fishnet under and v-neck pale, dark blue shirt over. His arms were in tatters, one deformed, but covered up with flesh, and the other newly separated through a huge force, bone seeing through and blood seeping out. "Damn, damn…" I hurried through this, and with the bandages, I had wrapped his arm several times, covering up the wound endured, and ripped the tape to glue the rest. Deidara had grunted unconsciously in pain, but as soon as I finished the protection of the injury, he sighed in his sleep. I gave a sweet smile, lifting myself up from the corner of the red dyed bed.

"So that's it, huh?" I asked myself, packaging up the used bandages in the opened cabinets.

The door had creaked open again, my head perked to that direction. My eyes narrowed unconsciously. "Kakuzu-san."

"Tetane," he rumbled in that deep voice hidden beyond his dark mask, "I'm interrupting, right?"

I was caught off guard by this senior. "No, no, you're free to come. I assume you're here to remind me about my private training." I looked at the resting body of my lover, eyes never twitching, his heartbeat lowering with the blood circulating regularly. That's a good sign.

The Zombie Brother had closed the door, almost slamming it, but made his way through, looking through me with those eerie green irises and milky red outsides. "Not just that, but I need to stitch Deidara's arms back. Tobi and Zetsu apparently found them lying around… if I had my way; I'd sell those things… not once in a while do you see hands with mouths on them. A big bounty."

All these thoughts ran across my brain all at once. But the first words that slipped through my lips were those I would regret. "Money is just an object, and with your greed about my boyfriend's kekki-genkai, it causes me suspicion. Just please reassemble his arms together so that Akatsuki cannot have any delays due to incapabilities."

He narrowed his eyes, having a sour look to his face. "I don't enjoy the attitude. You're lucky you're in this organization under Pein, or I'd sell you out as an even bigger bounty. Tetane Namikaze, good god, your eyes are worth more than anything I could get in a year-"

"You have no authority to even speak about the Raikugan like it is some prized jewel you could obtain," I complied, insulted, and standing, facing the treasurer, "And you have no sanity to even come close to these eyes."

He stood for a second, facing me with superiority, narrowed eyes and fists like iron. Then a mumble came to being, and Deidara had awakened, eyes adjusting from the light. "God, what the hell…?"

My smile returned as Kakuzu had backed away a few steps. "Oh, Deidara, don't frighten me." I had held his face, and we both pressed our lips together for a few seconds. Deidara was in a daze as this happened, and Kakuzu had rolled his eyes in annoyance.

"My god, hm, Tetane… Sasori's dead…"

Acasuna No Sasori dead. Two words that sank in bliss, and one trouble to get permanently away from. The man was clever, smart, intelligent, and ran by his own mind and thoughts, creating his own world from his creations, from his ideas made of blood, sweat, and chakra. His legend also created terror throughout the land of Sunagakure, and maybe spread about the five nations. Now that he is dead… dead and gone… well, who would carry out his glory? Also what I was considering was the bet we had planned for each other's lives. I had won with a breath of fresh air. But what was to come as the reward? He had promised… when he was dying, or had died, someway, somehow.

My smile had subsided. "How?"

"Two kunoichi were left behind when I ran off with the Ichibi's body, hm. One of them was an old woman, apparently Sasori-No-Danna's grandma, and one of them had pink hair-"

"Sakura…" The name had slipped out of my mouth. I looked down in upset; I had forgotten completely about my best kunoichi friend. I remember her incessant search for Sasuke, the worry in her eyes whenever she had whenever her male comrades had fought against others, and sometimes, each other. She was stronger now; I knew she could depend on me. But my head stayed into the hardening news created.

"So he died in vain…" I mumbled, hand upon forehead in frustration, "I will never get that information on Orochimaru now. That bastard lied; he promised and turned his back on the bet. If he arose from the dead, I would have to kill him again." I rubbed my head in a now-occurring headache.

"And your kid brother… Naruto…"

I turned to Deidara in interest, leaning in. His face was in a cringe, angered internally. "That little piece of shit owes me, I swear, hm. Him and Kakashi Sharingan Hatake … damn, damn it all! That Sharingan will end me, I swear, hm!"

All I could think of was his reaction to my brother. A piece of shit. This was clearly not his battle to win.

"My brother fought well then? Well, I wouldn't be calling him a piece of shit if he could beat you."

Deidara stood up on his back, grunting. "Well, he wasn't alone, hm! Kakashi accompanied him! And he tore my arm off with his little eye of his!" The frustration burned in Deidara's bluebird eyes, narrowing and intensifying with upset. I leaned down to him and felt no sympathy. Standing up, I had given him a cold glare of warning. He never interpreted it, maybe thinking it was something of upset about his arms and disability. But I had reacted in upset, and left, passing an almost silent Kakuzu, glaring at me from behind.

"You don't have to be too cold, you know," he commented deeply, almost growling behind his little black mask, "Wait until my lesson with you after his surgery… I have a lot to talk about with you, Tetane."

I turned my head towards the both of them, both intensely glaring at me, one blue with nervousness about my rock-serious behavior, and one hazy green and milky red, narrowed and unresponsive. I nodded my head, and left the creaky wooden door open for air to come. With their insane conditions, they'll need it.

. . .

I headed towards the setting where it was rumored to have been the deathbed of Acasuna No Sasori, a cliff-driven place outside the water stream. The boulders had formed a little pathway, and I made my way across, where I had found what I claimed to be a living, near-close battlefield.

There were, as I saw, the hundred puppets that Sasori had attacked and provoked me with, sprawled upon the floor, strings cut and broken. And in between was none other than Sasori's puppet body, surrounded by the two people he loved the most; his parents, his cause of death, both the mother puppet and the father puppet with two twin poison swords stabbing his in the targeted area. I picked him up by the neck, and his sand-colored eyes which were so fill of an ambitious meaning had died and were glassy; lifeless. I dropped his body, making a hollow sound, disappointed in my results. There was no bet to be made here. When death calls you out, you shall go. No one can escape death, unless you're pressing your luck.

"Such a disappointment," I murmured to myself, clenching my fist, "You're the first to go, then. It might as well be you, Sasori. You showed greatness, wasted by ambition-"

I overheard a sound in the distance of this cave-like place; only made by grunts of struggle and trouble. At last I found the sound-holder. Tobi was reaching, grabbing for something hidden between the cracks of crags in the distance. Already I feel annoyance.

"Tobi," I called out simply. The man felt my presence, and turned in pleasure. "HEY! TETANE-SAMA! WHAT'S UP?"

His cried sprang up against the cave walls, echoing in irritation. I had cringed, walking up to the Zetsu subordinate. "Nothing, nothing at all. The question is, Tobi-kohai, what the hell are you doing? Clearly you have looked upon Sasori's death as a good thing, I take it. You're being upheld as a new member, am I correct?" Oh great, Tobi as a member. What the hell are they doing now? Hiring idiots? This organization will be destroyed by itself.

He paused, and realized he was still looking for his little possession lost in the cracks. "Well, now I'll be in Akatsuki now, finally… that's a good thing, right?"

"Yeah, yeah, sure, you're great…" I muttered sarcastically. He tilted his masked head in a confused way. Baka. No wonder Deidara can't stand him.

"Hehe! I got it! Finally! Zetsu-san couldn't wait for me an hour ago, I think!" He stood in his own little victory, raising his hand which had grabbed the missing item. It was Sasori's old blue ring, like the one I had on. He squealed in immature victory, and placed in on his right pinkie finger. Then turned to me in excitement. "Oh, Tetane-sama, this is great! I can actually be a member now! And I'll be partners with Deidara-Senpai!"

Oh boy. Bad news for Deidara, then. He can't stand this menace. And my patience is waning as well.

"You'll be in this organization until you die, right Tobi?" I asked simply looking towards Sasori coldly. The masked member saw my direction, and shuddered. "Wow, when you think about it that way… but, Tetane-sama? You'll live, won't you?"

I turned to him as he got up out of his sitting position. "It depends, Tobi, it all depends. Just let me leave you with this for your little inauguration into Akatsuki. If you make a mistake, stick to breaking it. No matter how long you have to wait. Just go for it."

He blinked behind his mask, and without any of the seriousness I had put into it, he spoke stupidly: "Ah! You mean like a game?"

I glared. "Yes, like a game," I muttered sarcastically. "A game played by one person only, and involved a prize at the end and only lasts ten minutes. A happy little meeting."

"Oh! That makes sense. Thanks, Tetane-sama!"

I twitched my eye as I turned towards the direction of the gap and disappeared, evaporating in the thin air towards my destination. How pathetic. How can I talk to anyone here? The one I'm even closet to is Itachi, and he never wants to share his emotions towards me, a pathetic inexperienced cocky little girl. I sighed to his disposition as he realized I faded away. I'll place my bet that he'll last only one week here, no wait… one day, maybe. It's a possibility. A strong one.

I appeared at the entrance to where Kakuzu was expecting me, and again, the same place that Sasori and beaten me. No longer will I stand for such defeat; no longer will I remain weak. I shall show my strength. With chin held high, I walked calmly to the entrance. I stood in the shadows, with the grim light surrounding the perimeter. The sealed entrance closed automatically behind me as my head turned and I raised my eyebrow in suspicion. This hasn't happened before.

"Hello, angel."

This voice withered in the darkness, sharp and eager for blood thirst. I pressed in anger. "Hidan, I was not assigned to be with you in training. I needed Kakuzu-san for this lesson, not someone who could only take away my intelligence with a few dumb, lacking words."

The man came out of the darkness, part of his face coming out of the light. I sensed his chakra and blood boiling in his hot veins. He stopped and with his canine smile, spotted his eyes on me and stepped in once. I backed as he came closer. "What the hell do you want, asshole? I have nothing."

"Hehe, nothing but your virginity." His violet eyes of disease widened with intensity. I held my father's lightning kunai in my hands, and they flickered in the light. Hidan spotted this, and grinned. "Cute, bitch, cute. Ya think just because you cut off Fish Face's hand means you're the shit?"

Now was the brink of my irritation patience. "I'm not used as something to throw away, used as a bad example of sex. Now back off." The growl was heard in my throat. I couldn't stand him already.

He edged closer, and I backed even more. "Guess who's not backing off…? I'm ready to sacrifice you now, bitch, because you'll cause me trouble, and the almighty Jashin will be pissed if I only sacrifice you if I end up doing it with you. So…" His weapon glittered in the light, "Let's play."

He ran, fast, and his sharpened blade almost fastened itself upon my beating heart, and I dodged, Raikugan already unveiled to the other Zombie Brother. He knew not to look, which was surprising since he never even got the clue about my name and identification. Again and again, revealingly, he swooped, and I ran, swiftly getting to my defense, trying to catch him in the eyes. The thing was, he knew this, but I think he was staring at my breasts the entire time. Never have I seen such a disgrace of a man before. I attacked, and my kunai had struck him in the neck for the death blow. His blood spilt across the room, but he emerged out, holding his neck in place, looking down with poison eyes to check his wound. Eyes wide with adrenaline and surprise, I made up my Rasengan and aimed for his chest to destroy and never to recreate. Hidan was never late to react.

His chest had hit with it, but he pulled me up towards him, his scythe coming in by a hidden chord hidden secretively under his robe sleeve. The impact came, and I escaped, but I felt a twinge. He had only cut me in the shoulder blade. I got up from my ready position, and I questioned his method mentally. He had smiled, crazily, with a bad look in his beautiful colored eyes. He took out his tongue, and licked the third blade of his weapon, which was with one little stain of my artificial blood.

"What the-"

But my words hadn't caused impact upon his supposed jutsu. His skin changed, and the flesh had darkened like his soul. His eyes widened, with blood veins popping out during his moments in insanity, and the color of bone showed upon certain parts of his skin. I see, then. This was abnormal.

"Now, see what real pain is, bitch. I want to hear you scream for it!"

His blood mixed with mine, and he drew himself a sign under himself as the same exact sign that had hung in metal glory upon his stronger chest. I had no time for this nonsense. I ran to attack, planning to catch his eyes, but he had completed his symbol on the ground and stabbed his stomach. Then… pain entered, attacking the exact same place he had stabbed himself. It shot all over, my screams incessant within the area. I finally got it, and with the pain, I lay on the floor, twitching until I felt no more. I lay with eyes closed and mouth hung open.

Hidan had shuffled over to where I lay and smiled, sighing to himself, bloody and victorious. "Aw shit, the blonde bitch is dead. Fuck… and I could have had some of it with her. Aw well. As long as Jashin is happy."

I felt his hot breath on my face, and I flew my eyes wide open. Too late, you son of a bitch.

His neck drooped, and that was the end. I stood up, still clutching my stomach, amazed at this particular jutsu he had pulled upon me. Damn, I almost lost it there. Thank fortune for my luck. He had only aimed for the stomach, and not the heart. The heart is the only way I could properly die internally.

So I looked upon the devil himself. What to do with such a man… another one will await death, I guess. Suicidal mind control would be appropriate. I smiled in my sarcastic way with pride swelling up in me. Revenge was great.

"You know you can't kill this man… Tetane Namikaze."

And out of the shadows came Kakuzu, walking calmly over to us, the two bleeding Akatsuki members, one under a gen-jutsu and one wishing that this was never to happen. Then it snapped within the depths of my mind. "You tried this man upon me, am I correct in anyway?"

The Zombie Brother looked at Hidan and his controlled state in which I had placed him in, and then turned his milky red and green eyes at me with recollection. "Yes. I wanted to see how you would do. And you certainly would have been dead if it were not for Orochimaru-"

"It was my pain I had to overcome, not anything of that bastard man!" I yelled, still gripping my stomach, grunting in the process of stabs of pain through my inners, "All of his experiments would be nothing without my push of unwillingness!"

Kakuzu continued to stare through me, like I had no value in this life while I stood in insult. "You have no reconcile for what I had endured… you greedy man. Money has no point in a society like this. We come only to destroy, not to bring in riches for nothing in the end." I faced him, fists clenched until the knuckles turned a bone-white. Then he chuckled in his baritone rumble arising from the bottom of his throat.

"What do you have in laughing at me, fool? You suppress this devil worshipper onto my grounds of battle, and he nearly kills me with one blow to the stomach. Who are you to mock my reasons, old man?" I had cried, anger bellowing from my temper.

But the Zombie Brother had never stopped the heighten in his cheekbones, but his laughter ceased from my words. "God, I really hate the youth. They're nothing but trouble. Especially you… Tetane-chan, you're annoying with this talk of immaturity-"

"IMMATURITY?"

He lifted an eyebrow like he was actually surprised of my reaction. "Yes. Exactly." He paced forward, amused by Hidan's quiet and controlled nature from the effects of my Raikugan. "This is so cute. I remember fighting a Namikaze with your eye, about sixty years ago, exactly. I've never seen Hidan so… quiet."

I blinked in confusion, maybe thinking that he rephrased his words in the wrong way. Sixty years…? No, it's not possible. Someone of his stature and physical abilities could not to have lived this long and claim to be at an impossible age like this. And fighting an ancestor of mine who had the Raikugan, the same one as I. Impossible.

He noted the expression on my face due to my calculations. "Yeah, it's amusing. When your partner calls us the Zombie Combo, he's not kidding. We live to kill. We kill to live. That's how we sadly got paired up together… and we can't die."

"Then how is your immortality possible? Is there such a jutsu to keep you alive for so long that you have fought my ancestor? And he, the one with the bad mouth… how does he not die when he is fatally stabbed? His skin turns bone, and blood turns to a religious jutsu of some sort."

Kakuzu gave me glare, narrowing his eyelids, ghost green next to milk red. "You were just like him… that Kenju Namikaze… your grandfather, your father's father; by the looks of it… you've got that leadership in you, and that seriousness. And I recall those eyes very well. The oldest in the family, I would think he is, since I was actually caught in that eye. I remember that fight well… my village called in for reinforcements in the Hidden Leaf, and he was there to exterminate me, but of course, I won. What a pathetic attempt. A worm upon my jutsu."

I clenched my teeth, spitting. "You have no right to call him that, you bastard."

"And you know something? So will you, when we're done with you."

My temper took over, and his small words affected me. I closed my eyes, let release, and I officially controlled Hidan, who was right beside Kakuzu, and with this, my grin provided my feelings.

"Attack with no mercy."

Then as soon as my anger had spat out, Kakuzu took no hesitation to block every one of Hidan's swiping, aggressive attacks. "I've got more experience than you could obtain in your lifetime," Hidan's partner murmured, dodging my frustration, "And I keep my temper for quite more than you do. So stop this now. I do not want to fight today."

Then his hand extended, and the same chords that had grabbed me on my waist when I was breaking out during the inauguration into Akatsuki had grabbed my victim's arm, and then had pulled Hidan in, extending more until his feet were not moving on his own. He had caught me in my own movement. Breathing with hardened anger, I realized my temper and my ambition, and I became loose with my Raikugan, letting my influence of the Immortal Jashinist pass. Kakuzu let go of his partner's whole, and pulled back to further close in his arm from the stitches unleashed. I took one step back, and I grasped my head in defeat. "Damn it. Damn it."

Then I snapped in realization. Hidan's been released. His violet eyes opened, facing his partner.

"Damn it all! I looked into the bitch's eyes and for that second, I knew I was fucked, Kakuzu! Now I know she's dead and-"

He paused to check behind him, and there was me, narrowing my eyes just by the look at him. "Dead and gone, right? Check again, you idiot. You had stabbed into the wrong place. I just so happen to properly function with the so called 'fatal' stab of the stomach. You failed to see further into my jutsu."

His surprised reaction was priceless, contrasting to his senior, serious and ignorant. "So you're a fucking immortal too, right bitch? I mean-"

"You know, I just remembered what I was going to say," Kakuzu nodded, deeply voiced in his own opinion, "Is that if Itachi hadn't suggested you for his team, then Leader would have chosen you for our team."

The silence rang within the training room, and my eyes widened. I could be one of them without even realizing it. Killing to live and living to kill. Is that my way? Will I end up killing my people to an extend where I need to depend on it for my survival? I shook my head to my own destructive thoughts. No. I can stand for myself without the bleeding of life upon the ground to feed me. I am for the loyalties of Konahagakure, and I will not fall.

But my voice failed to compromise with my thoughts. "Really?" I stammered weakly.

Hidan laughed, but I felt scared against it. His chuckle provided no sanity in his voice, no reason to laugh. It was full of a bloodthirsty, murderous pleasure that had my skin crawling with disgust and terror. "No shit! Anyone who can survive my ritual is either a follower of Jashin or really fucking lucky!"

"And I heard about your bloodclone ability," Kakuzu murmured, glaring at me and me only, "With you and your different type of living, you would make a perfect teammate, and you could shut Hidan up if you wanted to with that Raikugan."

His partner smirked and nodded his head, then after about a few seconds; he exploded, finally getting Kakuzu's words. "Fuck you, Kakuzu! What's with that bullshit you pull on me?"

I smirked to Hidan. "Apparently you're not the brightest light, are you, Hidan?"

The Jashinist had turned redder and brighter than the Raikugan could ever wield. "Go fucking die in a hole, bitch!"

"Oh, I wouldn't say such things," I noted. Kakuzu's cheekbones rose. I had a feeling that I would quietly get along with him. I smirked, and Kakuzu nodded to himself and scratched inside of his mask. "Hidan."

"What now?" his idiotic partner replied, still red in the cheeks. For someone who speaks highly of pain and death, the colors that appear physically onto him are contrasting.

Kakuzu rubbed his temples, a sure sign of irritability. I wouldn't blame him or Deidara as well for that matter. Both of their partners are pure stupid. "I want to talk to Namikaze-chan. Alone."

"Well cool, what does that matter? I'm staying, besides, there might be the fucking chance that she might like me, besides, I am damn sexy." He winked, and I just gave him a glare… as did his Zombie partner. Then Hidan sighed, dissatisfied. "I swear, bitch, I'll have you one day! On my ass!"

"Try and you will fail and get killed. Don't get too provoked, Hidan-san."

"Whatever, fucker. I have to do my rituals anyway, no matter how much Leader hates a mess. Blood's my shit, man." He left in a huff, beautiful violet eyes on me with his canine smile. He was in for a killing. By my watch, he won't last long if I'm trapped in here. The door released itself, and he disappeared into the mist, the boulder closing our way in. I was alone with the treasurer of Akatsuki.

"So you wanted to talk," I confirmed, narrowing my eyes, "Hit away."

With a cough and another scratch to his head, he stood still, eyes onto me. "You're the key to getting out of here, Namikaze-chan. I was thinking of an alliance. I betray people all the time, and I feed off the weak and go for the strong. We're a lot alike, you and me."

"In what ways? I want you to provoke me to join you." This was already a bad idea, and a horrible misjudgment by Kakuzu, the wisest person in this hellhole of an organization. Bullshitting it might be the only way to make him truly vulnerable.

Kakuzu continued with a scratch in his throat. "We fall into the category of selfishness. I know for a fact you're not loyal, it shows on everything, and if you are showing this expression accidentally or on purpose won't matter. This organization is not filling my time within why I had joined."

"Money," I figured out coolly. This was no brain teaser to figure out.

"With your little eye, you can collect money for us both, and I will contribute evenly, and we shall destroy the organization if you want me to. I have the capability. Money is the way of life, and with that, I might as well agree to you half of the portion granted to kill this group and settle in the world ourselves as coordinates. Deal?"

As I figured, this was the worst plan to ever come up with. This man loved, no, obsessed with money and its value in society, and I felt in my gut hard that he was going to try and kill me when he gets what he wants. But again, I'll try to end up killing him with this organization. Fair game. I'll never really agree to his conditions, but I would bring the enemy closer. Perfect.

"I place my alliance onto you, Kakuzu-san." I coughed, smirking. Then another cough came upon me, hard and thick upon my lungs. The Zombie Brother raised an eyebrow. "You're not sick, am I correct?"

I held up a hand, gagging upon my throat and the pace in breathing I needed to accomplish. Then my curse mark reacted, my neck feeling incredible pain. I cringed to hold the pain, and I carried myself up to where I stood originally, breathing regularly. "I'm fine, Kakuzu-san."

"Then that ends that stupid lesson for today. I'm off."

He turned towards the boulder passage, made a small hand-sign, and released the fog into the room with me following as I saw no more of him in the deep mist of Amegakure. Things are getting interesting here.


	14. Nostalgia

**Hey again! :P**

**So this is the Mission Chappie against Oro… and must I say… AWESOME! There are two new characters introduced, and they are explained :D**

**Comments:**

**-Hiaru Uzumaki (in general): Wowzahs! Thank ya very much for reviewing! Oh cool, similar characters and I would really like to read yours! **

**-xxyangxx2006 (chap.13): Hahaha! I'm glad someone had to notice the whole: "die in a hole" thing ^_^ yeah, I really think that Kakuzu and Tetane have some similarities, but they know that they can't trust each other, so that he can obtain all the finances, and Tetane can pull another member to a weakness. So thanks for reviewing! And by the way, remember a while back you told me that you were making a parody about Tetane and Kisame vs. Orochimaru? This is it! :D Excited!**

**So here you go, please read, fav, REVIEW, and so on and so forth…**

**Yayz! Epic climax, here we come! :P**

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14

I trudged the halls in desperation. Never have I been so heavy upon my feet in calls for physical meaning, but mental as well. All of this internal betrayal is making my head spin, and with that, some of the members do not trust me. It's smart not to, but it is not part of my initial plan. I need to gain more of their trust, and with that in mind, I can bring my enemies closer. Perfect.

With that last meeting with Kakuzu, I felt uncomfortable about our little 'alliance'. I think it's all bullshit, and he'll only kill for money. How inept and greedy. Money is fool's gold, and nothing is more priceless than your highest pleasures for life and your dreams met. And if he ends up the last one alive in this organization… I'll be dead, and without even seeing the full extent of his abilities, I could tell that he was experienced enough to beat me, this one person. I feel weaker, with other people's chances against mine. This never happened in Konahagakure… Konahagakure… I felt the fall wind and scents against my senses and the warm feeling of all the Hokage's faces within the mountains, watching over us all. And one of them… my father… and another one of them… my great grandfather… the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, my grandmother's father.

I leaned against the hallway wall for support for the emotional burden. I missed everyone, but I couldn't provide my loyalty. I belonged to the Akatsuki, well, temporarily. Until Kisame was killed, I couldn't get my way out of things. Might as well keep your friends close, and your enemies closer. For now.

I throat started up again, and the curse mark behind my neck stung like a thousand bees. The disease was spreading; and there was nothing I could do. I collapsed, wheezing in pain, onto my knees to this contamination. How could this be affecting me already, and I have been in this organization for almost a month now? I stumbled up to my feet, keeping my hand onto my mouth to prevent anyone from hearing this. I had an order to obey to keep this silent from anyone.

"God, kiddo, I thought you'd pass out from that," a familiar and unique voice sounded, with a hint of concern. I twisted my back to see Kisame grinning as usual upon my state. I spat with disgust. "What the hell do I owe the pleasure?"

"Oh nothing, but with this, you're starting to get the full effect of the infection of the curse mark. But I have some news that you'll love to hear…"

I raised an eyebrow as I removed my hand fully from my mouth, then checking to see if any blood played into this case. "Oh really? Can you tell me before the sun sets, Master?"

He put a hand behind his back and scratched it, closing his eyes, being amused and annoyed with my over-usage of sarcasm. "Fine, fine." Then his smile rose, his famous Swordsmen teeth playing a role. "It'll make your day. We're going to find Suigetsu."

Suigetsu? I heard the name, and my heart almost came out of my chest in the fact that we were going on pursuit for him. My childhood best friend was captured by Orochimaru, which meant that we were going to invade Orochimaru's hideout.

Perfect. This couldn't be better.

I grinned as his words reached my ears, and once I gave my own sarcastic smile, Kisame laughed. "You never change, do you? Well, I'm glad you're happy. This is the first time you've really smiled since you saw that my hand was severed off my arm." He chuckled a bit and glanced at the stitch that Kakuzu gave him after my inauguration. Then he rolled on his sleeve again, and walked ahead.

"Where the hell are you going?" I asked in pursuit.

The blue skinned man turned towards me while walking. "To Leader, of course… it's been a month now. We all get our paychecks, and I need to confirm the mission with him. The Leader hates Orochimaru because he's been spilling information on us now, but the good thing for you, Tetane, is that Orochimaru doesn't know that you're in the organization now. You have the advantage of surprise."

We walked outside to the rain, and wore my traveling wear, placing my hat on my head, as did Kisame. I snickered silently to myself. "He doesn't know of where I am? Good. I wish to inflict every ounce of torture on him before he goes on to hell. And maybe I'll be even luckier and find Sasuke Uchiha and ring his little neck for joining that man before we find Suigetsu."

Kisame raised an eyebrow. "I like your thinking… god, you remind me a lot of me, you know that?"

"Oh really? Blue skin, has an accursed sword, and has gills. Yep, that's me."

"Sarcasm has its way around, you know," he implied, used to his different appearance, "I hope you learn that." He breathed into the misty air and cold oxygen came out of his mouth as we walked. Then as we came towards wherever Kisame was taking me, Pein was walking from the forests and onto the street of buildings, coming towards us in a dull manner. I narrowed my eyes. He reminds me of Itachi.

"Kisame, Tetane."

"Good afternoon, Leader," Kisame casually greeted, bowing a slight inch to his superiority. He eyed me, and in quiet and annoyed intent, I lowered myself as well. I detested this. I should be the one praised for and bowed to as the senior. We both stood out ground, and Kisame spoke for the both of us. "We want approval to go sneak into Orochimaru's base… if we succeed, then we'll be covered-"

"And what if you don't?" Pein put simply, ringed eyes meeting mine, "Orochimaru will have something that we won't… not again… and more information that he can leak out into the open public. He'll rebel if he finds out about this situation, right? And you'll be the first one dead, Kisame." His eyes influenced me and sucked me in whole, but then turned to my master when he had properly addressed him. Kisame pulled a smile, narrowing his misty gray eyes. "Oh, we'll beat him out, all right, eh… Tetane?"

My mind reeled into reality again. "Oh… right, Master Kisame."

Pein nodded in what appeared like unemotional turmoil. "Very well. But if either one of you comes alone or defeated I will inflict pain until you quiver no more." He passed us in the pouring rain, and made his way to the various amount of buildings, lost within his broken city of Amegakure. Kisame snickered when I had raised an eyebrow towards the distance in which our Leader had disappeared. "He's a piece of work, isn't he? But never mind that… we need to go."

He went ahead as I followed in silence, listening to the drops of water come to the ground, each one so individual and peaceful to hear with the extent of the cold weather chilling even my body temperature. I couldn't get Pein's Rinnegan out of my mental sight; it was breathless; and maybe even better than my Raikugan… but stories do tell. And I know from the facts that Pein should have a big tale to present.

We walked through the colder weather in some silence. I lost count of the month… I think it's late November, but furthermore; it's been a month since I went missing from the village that others called my home. I bet the Leaf is in full alarm that I've been kidnapped and taken hostage, but they don't know about the false betrayal I have set for my ultimate plan. But I have a warm feeling inside of me, that Naruto-kun is safe… and that he knows about my situation. I'll bet my life that he knows about me in Akatsuki. I am their slave, and subordinate. I will rise on position and stature, and I shall conquer and destroy any being that defied the right of peace upon the five villages. With Sasori being dead and gone, I have already begun. I eyed Kisame, who was right in front, leading the way, back turned. _I will have your head one day. Even if I risk it all._

Then my lungs gave in, and my chakra disease was starting to eat me up alive. Kisame turned alarmingly, and watched as I coughed until I couldn't spare my throat. My hand covered my mouth, and once I had removed it, I watched as a little bit of blood came upon my palm. "Shit…!" I spoke hoarsely, trying my best to stand on both legs.

Kisame noticed my frustration as well, narrowing his misty eyes. "Well, we don't have a ton of time left, eh? Don't worry yourself to much, Tetane. We'll find Suigetsu soon enough." Once I could regain my strength, he stood at my side. I noticed behind the harshness and optimism in his voice that there was something… I couldn't recall it exactly, but I think he was getting used to the fact that I wasn't just a subordinate of his, maybe more of a partner. "Come on, kid."

It took toil to find Otogakure; about a day of traveling through a few lands. We couldn't take the shortest route from the Fire Nation… it was too obvious that Shinobi of Konahagakure would be awaiting, or even tracking us down as I think. So we ran routes through the secret ways of the Grass Village, Takigakure, and a small strip of the unknown land which contains the Mountain's Graveyard area. But we made it when the sun was setting, and I stood, looking upon my old village in detest and narrowed eyes. Kisame snickered. "Nostalgia, huh?"

I turned to him, and back to the setting of nightmares. "Entirely."

The village hasn't changed at all. The darker shadows of the sunlight cast upon the buildings and land, and the people who normally walked through the streets were not casual about any activity. Most of them had been experiments by Orochimaru well behaved enough to walk around freely and not to be kept up in the prison which I had survived and been raised into. I never saw sunlight until I was eleven. And that was considered a blessing. But there was no one in sight; a desert land. Something happened… or must be known in alarm. "This is strange," I commented harshly.

Kisame laughed. "Isn't it always, I mean, it's Orochimaru's-"

"I know, I know… but some people should be about. It's eerier than usual… almost like a funeral song has called."

Kisame breathed, sighing in the process. "It's changed since you left, I guess. But we have no time to waste. Leader-sama will have our necks I we don't successfully complete this mission that I had PLANNED for you. Let's go." So impatient sometimes… I can see why he compared me to him.

"Fine, Master…" I put in an emphasis on that formal word, and he rolled his misty grey eyes in an over dose of sarcasm, "… but I shall lead. I don't ever recall you telling me that you've been here."

He grunted, probably thinking I was a pain, and followed in my tracks. We landed on the streets, my senses alert for any sign of chakra pulse, heartbeat, or movement. Nothing. Everything was too quiet to be reality. Orochimaru has something planned, whether it involved me or not. But the thought was decreasing from my head as we made our way towards the secret entrance to his little prison site. The pictures that came to my head were glorious, and if my goals were as successful as my ambitious dreams, then Orochimaru would beg for my mercy, and plead himself to hell.

_It's coming to you very soon, Orochimaru… so soon that I can feel it…_

The entrance of the site where I was raised during childhood was underground. Otogakure is a smaller setting from above ground, but below… lies awful, but terrific things. The candles replace sunlight, and the sky shines in the dark, tall, silver ceiling above. Then, from the corner of my eye while I was searching, I found the cave entrance. Perfect. We were so close.

I found the underground entrance jutsu while in the barren cave. Making my signs with complete and utter memorization and using the top of my teeth to cut a part of my palm, I slammed my hand onto the center sign, and with that, the ground rumbled in front of us, rocks and dirt falling until I had gotten what I truly desired. The hideout entrance was right there, and out of that action came out the damp, inner air of more nostalgia, and some screams from the experimentation rooms. That meant Orochimaru was still active within. Kisame turned to me, something burning in his misty eyes. But I saw within… I realized that out of the sunlight hitting his face that he had yellow irises behind the mist grey. I stood still for a few seconds before the sun set completely. He questioned me immediately about my reaction. "You ready for this, Tetane?"

I blinked a few times, facing the entrance again. "Yes… yes, I believe I am. Let's go… I think I have a few plans in mind for if he planned to see me here."

We jumped down to the floor, the scent and the sounds filling my head with so many unwanted memories. My stomach became sickly, almost rock hard when I landed on both feet to where I was taken… for half of my living life. We walked until we reached the lights of the brightly lit candles handing onto the walls with the orange, swirled wallpaper hanging onto the walls with doors lined upon the walls, each one anonymous to the person unlocking the door and opening it with a curious mind. But for me… I knew each one by what I knew inside here for about eight years.

Our first Otogakure guard came, unrecognizable by me. Kisame nodded to me silently, and with this, I made a step that creaked onto the floor, and without a hesitation, the guard looked into my eyes, knowing my name by his face. He fell, dropping his unconscious body to the floor, causing a petite thump. Then another guard came from the left coming into the hallway we were in, looking at the body, then looking not as me, but Kisame, who grinned, probably thinking of hunting the pursuer. The Otogakure guard gasped, and ran, onto seeing my golden hair, assuming it was Tetane Namikaze. My Raikugan pulsed, and the guard who slumped on the ground was following the other guard, knowing that the alarmed guard would fall under as well. I was displeased… I thought Orochimaru wouldn't be so easy to conquer into his base, but then my eyes widened as I heard someone's voice ring, piercing into the indoor night, until he fell as well. "TETANE NAM-ikaze is here…." Then another body hit the floor.

"Shit, shit, shit!" I cussed, spitting onto the ground, "Now is the real time to hurry."

Guards shifted to running, armed with poisoned paralysis or sedative kunai. I spat again; I forgot that he knew one of my weaknesses for capturing me. "They've got poison! And if we're not careful enough, he'll start the music…"

"Music?" Kisame whispered, looking around for any more for Orochimaru's servant-men, "Like in gen-jutsu?"

"Exactly," I murmured, narrowing my eyes, my Raikugan lighting up the room with red light blazing to show us the way, "I can resist eye-contact and regular hand-sign gen-jutsu, but I can't resist that. It'll bring me to Orochimaru without my consciousness even knowing it. It irritates me that he hadn't trained me in resisting gen-jutsu by music. That's why he called his village the Sound… he took pride in my defeats against his particular gen-jutsu. And now that someone knows about this, they'll play the music! And I'll be in his hands again!" I clutched my head in worry as I heard screams and the sound of running steps in the shadows of it all.

The silence rang, but Kisame's lips shifted upward in optimism. "I don't think I can fix the whole 'gen-jutsu' thing… but I have a good plan, which I have all wrapped up," Kisame spoke in a grave tone, not un-serious as always. I looked at him with the Raikugan, and with the help of Samehada, he never even flinched and grabbed his sword by the skulled handle. He murmured to me while I listened intently. "I'll be a diversion… and I know that Samehada eats all gen-jutsu chakra if its wielder is using it. For this, I'll let you have him… and I'll act as you until Orochimaru captures me. You know how to take him down, I suppose?"

"But Samehada…" I heard my words, and the thought of the sword gave me regret in my defeat, "… can't we both wield it?"

Kisame grimly shook his head. "Only one wielder. He can only provide so much power to one person, but two people… there will be chaos. Since Orochimaru wants you, I'll be bait… just for this once. Then when I'm captured, I'll try and stall while you sneak your way in. Hopefully if this all goes out, then that snake-loving chicken will be dead, and we'll have Suigetsu. Then that disease will be over. You got me, Tetane?" He unstrapped his sword from his back, handing it to me with no response. Then he produced a few familiar hand-signs, and I saw myself in his place. I grabbed the sword by the handle… it was heavy to begin with, and the feeling of chakra grazed my internal body. I felt powerful, almost stronger, holding the weapon that cause my defeat.

"Now we'll wait until-"

Kisame's voice through my false vocals stopped, his mouth quivering, golden eyes wide. The music of the flutes started, and the soprano tones of the instruments had caused me to cover my ears. I lifted my hands off of my ears, hearing the gen-jutsu song full blast, but I wasn't affected by its melody. This sword must have a mind of its own to operate against any gen-jutsu. No wonder the wielder of Samehada could have defeated me… I was nothing without my Raikugan at my eyes.

Kisame, in my body, however, stood up from the walls, walking in a trance directly to the music. His mouth was slightly open, and eyes wide, controlled by this gen-jutsu. _So this is what happens_, I thought intensely. Then I followed in shallow steps while the song became stronger. But still miraculously, I stayed conscious in my own thoughts. Damn Orochimaru for his experiments and knowing me… but I stayed upon Kisame's trail.

I saw the flautists humming into their silver instruments and saw Kisame as me coming into the secret entrance and only two of them stayed by his side. "It's Tetane-sama, all right…" one of them whispered to the other in a sly smile. I remembered his name, both of their names… Kyoki and Kyumi, the twin Komaha brothers who were also raised by Orochimaru by the hundreds.

I remembered them well. They were bigger, muscular, with long, spiky mud-like hair with fogged hazel eyes. They admired their brutality and strength, but their brains weren't enough to cover the brawn. I remembered them always picking on my blonde hair, saying how shiny it was and how they could be better gen-jutsu artists than me because they were men. Sexist assholes. They were proven dead wrong. But sometimes I spat out my own words, they played the flute beautifully and handled the gen-jutsu chakra they had within them gently, and with that, Orochimaru placed them not just as his experimented subordinates, but his music gen-jutsu artists, and would look over me if I had tried to escape. They are probably older than me by three years; perhaps both of them were about twenty years old. It's been too long, but I'd rather get rid of the nostalgia than soak it all up.

"Gosh, Tetane, it's been too long…" Kyoki started, grabbing the entranced Kisame by the shoulder, and then letting go in a growl of a laugh, "How's being Hokage? Is it great?" They both laughed as they hummed the music and Kisame proceeded to the entrance.

"I mean, look, Kyoki… she's good enough to bang! Maybe Orochimaru-sama can give her to us afterwards!" Kyumi laughed hysterically while Kyoki slapped him upside the head. "Geez, man, don't say that… she's Orochimaru-sama's. Now shut up, I'm the oldest of us, thus I'm more mature than you. Besides, she liked me better! I made the funny faces when she was younger! I made her laugh! And you… she tried to use the Raikugan on you because you weren't funny."

"I'm a shitload of laughs!"

"Asshole!"

I narrowed my eyes in annoyance. They never changed. They just grew about two more feet than in childhood, but their height of maturity still stayed the same. But they still played the flutes with equal harmony, and Kisame was still influenced. The gate to the entrance was closing, and I my chances of getting in were growing slimmer and slimmer. Once the cackling twin brothers and Kisame came in, I slid to the narrowest I could go upon the shiny silver door. I made it in… but only by just. I hid behind one of the two totems on the inside of the barrier, breathing in the hot smell of chemicals and lava. I knew this place extremely well… the chambers…

I slid my way across the section without a single sound being heard by the coverage of their song, but it was hard to move with Samehada resting on my back as a gen-jutsu shield. I cringed in another cough, and with a shutter, Kyumi looked over his shoulder, narrowing his hazel eyes.

"What is it?" answered Kyoki, still playing the flute with ease. But after I held my mouth, Kyumi turned his head to the other entrance. "Ah, I bet it's a mouse. Come on, I bet Orochimaru-sama's gunna get us a reward after this one… I mean, he hasn't seen her in six or seven years! Maybe we'll get out of here!"

I felt a twinge of sympathy for the two teenagers wearing the clothing of Otogakure, but they were rambunctious all the same. I'll see to it that they were spared, but are reminded not to deal with me… and that's all the freedom I'm giving to anyone here. I saw them disappear, and I decided to follow with wide, Raikugan eyes unleashed. I heard their talk over the echo of the large setting.

"You know, there's something different then when we saw her last time," Kyoki noted, a finger upon his chin. Kyumi smiled devilishly. "Heh… like what? Well she's gotten hotter, I can tell ya that… and her hair's up in a bun-"

"No shit, moron! She's got a cloak on! See the red clouds?"

Kyumi squinted with his hazel eyes. "Nope!"

"They're right there, dumbass! See the print? I think it's an organization or something…" Then is heard Kisame's grunts of mine come from a daze, and the brothers were in alarm, playing again the soft melody of the flute. Kisame's grunts stopped. Both brothers entered the other door and I followed. "Thank god, Kyoki, that was close… do you remember how mad the bitch gets when she gets angry?"

"Did you just call her a bitch, Kyumi?"

"Yeah, she's out of it right now, might as well!" They both laughed in horrific unison. Never mind that other thought… I'll have both of their heads.

The door was closing again, and they exited, grinning, calling their master. "Orochimaru-sama, look who we have!" they spoke excitedly in unison.

I looked upon the shutting gate in alarm. _Shit, shit, shit… I won't have any time to make it…!_ I leaped from walls, and I jumped above the closing gate, knees bent to observe the scene that progressed. Samehada had weighed me down, but I managed to stay steady upon the top of the bars. With eyes intact, I looked upon the captured Kisame. The flutes had stopped playing once he was strapped up to the metal hinges against the chamber wall, facing a door across from him. His mind cleared, I could tell though the disappearance of the gen-jutsu chakra invading his body, and his pupils rearranged.

"Ugh… what…? Where the hell am I?" Then Kisame's false golden eyes widened, and he smirked my sarcastic smile, remembering and noting the plan, and the capturers. "So I see…" he murmured to himself.

"Hey, Tetane-sama!" Kyumi and Kyoki began, waving nervously, but were almost bloodthirsty to begin with. "Remember us… the Komaha Brothers?"

Kisame looked from each twin brother to the chains on his hands and feet in silence, only narrowing his golden eyes. Very well played, Master. "Sadly, yes."

"Yahoo! She remembered us!" The brothers high-fived, but casualty brought out their kunai and flutes out of their arsenal. Classic Komaha Brothers. "We trapped you in our gen-jutsu, lil' sis," Kyoki began, twirling his kunai blade in his oversized hand, "And you were apparently weak enough to fall into it! What happened to the Raikugan girl we all know and loved?"

"Yeah, Tetane-sama, geez," Kyumi spat, grinning in humor, "I thought you would be Hokage one day! But look at the cloak! It's like you're from… an organization or something…" He reached for a bit of the cloth from my coat, but Kisame growled, acting like he was replica of me. "Get off… you idiots."

Then the door facing an imprisoned Kisame had opened, revealing more darkness than light, and out of it came in my worst fear, my greatest enemy, and the one who I had planned to destroy for everything he had invoked me with half of my lived life. Orochimaru. He hadn't changed, but the wrinkles and dark circles under his eyes… he was almost ready to switch bodies with Sasuke Uchiha. His yellow eyes had brightened within the sigh of Kisame's body as mine. I clenched my heart, hiding in the darkness of the corner of the ceiling. So many memories to take away, too many nightmares to vanquish…

"Tetane!" the Snake Sannin hissed pleasantly, coming towards Kisame, who was quite disgusted to see his ex-member of Akatsuki, "How beautiful to be reunited, isn't it? At the perfect time as well!" he turned to the twins, and they stood in fright. "You may go now."

They left quickly while I cussed silently. Damn, there go my other kills.

"Orochimaru," Kisame spat loudly, "Why… why are you vowing to destroy me? What harm have I done to you to promote these actions? Please reconcile for a few minutes to recover all of your actions!"

Wow. I am impressed. Kisame really knows his little prisoner very well. I leaned into this, content in the impersonation that my master has given. Orochimaru laughed in high, ghostly voice that could haunt everyone's nightmares. "Tetane-chan, Tetane-chan! You never change, do you? Have you only come to-"

He finally saw the scarlet clouds upon the coat Kisame had on for my physical image. Orochimaru let out the rest of his breath in a surprised sigh, and straightened his posture. "I knew this day would come… Sasori warned my about this… but no matter, Sasuke-kun can wait…" His sharp grin stretched across the bottom of his face while Kisame's golden eyes widened. But Orochimaru looked at Kisame, at his eyes, at the cloak, the floor beneath him, and back at Kisame. He smiled still. "You're not Tetane…"

He gripped Kisame's throat in anger, the tension rising in his stomach. "Who are you playing as?" Then he saw the curse mark installed by Kisame himself upon my physical neck. His yellow eyes dulled as he let go of Kisame's throat. "Kisame Hoshigaki, my old teammate."

I stood in total alarm as he recognized him. _How the hell…? _But I had no time to waste before that bastard man I knew I was here in this setting as well. Kisame's golden eyes widened as he spoke for himself for the first time. "How the fuck did you know about this?"

"You chakra is different, my friend, and if you were impersonating Tetane, you would have tried to get me with the Raikugan, which the nin-jutsu doesn't allow… but in other matters… where is Tetane Namikaze?"

**. . . **


	15. Choking on Words

**Hi peoples!**

**Sorry I haven't updated in FOREVER… but its here! The epic conclusion to what I think is the most surprising chapter yet! (And it totally goes with the whole plot!)**

**So comments:**

**-GEMfaerie (chap.14): Hahaha, it's alright ;) And tell 'Kagisen' to give you some slack :P**

**-xxyangxx2006 (chap.14): EEEEPPPP! Yay, I'm so excited! I'm afraid I'll laugh so much my whole neighborhood will hear me! Haha, but thanks, I really liked my creation of the Komaha brothers, and I was kinda laughing while I was writing it, I was like: let's add some comic refief, this story so far seems a little depressing… and Orochimaru… oh good gravy, scares the crap outa me sometimes, but I like his creepiness in this story hehe :3 So thanks, and I cannot wait for the parody!**

**So there ya go, and PLEASE… REVIEW. It helps with my writing, and I love your opinion. So contribute to the miragechick2 fund and send 'em in! :P**

**Alright, here we go! The epic conclusion of the battle in Orochimaru's lair! **

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15

I covered my mouth, ensured that if Orochimaru found me, it wasn't by coughing my entire two lungs out of my system. His yellow eyes led the room, in search within the shadows I had hidden into. Time was running down too quickly, and now was the time to strike without mercy. My hand-signs were inept and perfect, and with that, my blood clones had formed with me in place to attack from air. For a surprise of my own battle strategy, I used the simple nin-jutsu Kisame had used to make myself as a duplicate. Once Orochimaru had seen my place, narrowed his moon-colored eyes and smiled wickedly, my bloodclones and I were ready to be set. Each one of us gracefully dropped to the floor and stood upon their own empty eyes making their way to Orochimaru, running with drooping arms down. Then my sacrifice, who remained in the shadows still, had unleashed the Raikugan, the red eyes glowing through the invisible shade. Orochimaru snickered while Kisame had as well, still using my physical appearance to show the sarcastic smirk.

"You never change your technique, even as you know very well that I had created you personally?" my former guardian sympathized, falling right for it, "You think I don't know what you're playing at, Tetane-chan?" He raced for the clashing fall of my bloodclones, and transformed one of his arms to form a long snake, which had lifted him completely from the ground. The duplicates and I had seen this, and stood silent until I had gone to Kisame in his bonds, still disguised as one of my bloodclone diversions. When I had turned my head form Kisame's metal linkage to the attacking Orochimaru, the snake Sannin had paid no attention to the diversions to which I had mixed myself in with. Then he had stuck onto the blood forming from my clone, eyes wide, frustrated in being outwit. He turned his head to see me trying to undo the bonds on my master. The yellow eyes were still fixed and he smiled again, laughing, my hands finally to get the lock to get Kisame out of the wall-based prison. I had decided to get back to my appearance, and Kisame had as well, appearing taller and physically the same as last. We both looked up to see Orochimaru's chuckles through the echo of the chambers.

"Tetane Namikaze and Kisame Hoshigaki… how surprising… and my little student… in Akatsuki as well. What force could have dominated you for the first time?"

"That's none of your concern, you bastard!" I recoiled, my heart pumping twice the amount of blood, thus the bloodclone sacrifice keeping Orochimaru's fist stuck had flowed with even more of the blood- type liquid. Kisame kept his stamina and never smiled, though I could feel how much he had desired to defeat Orochimaru. I looked to my two internal enemies, and felt a circle of detest burning from this moment.

"Well, how touching, anyways. You know, Kisame, my friend, she's a runaway. You'll be dead before the morning with her on rampage about in the Akatsuki organization. But it won't matter. It wouldn't be a waste to see that pitiful organization die."

"SHUT UP!" I screamed, my aggressive voice heard in echoes, running incessantly through the larger scale stone room, "I AM LOYAL TO THE AKATSUKI AND I'LL DIE TRYING TO KILL YOU!"

Kisame looked upon me in surprise within his now yellow irises, widening with intensity. I paid no attention to him, but to the bastard snake that snickered at me from above. Luckily I have a good mark upon his deathbed here.

"It's funny, Orochimaru-san," Kisame spoke in that same amusing tone, "That you lost to a gen-jutsu artist who ironically is my partner… did you know that this girl can resist the Mangekyo Sharingan that you fell for?"

"You resisted the ultimate Sharingan that I've always craved for," the Snake Sannin blinked, but still smiled coldly especially at me, paying no immediate attention to Kisame, "I'm impressed with my work. She's a beauty. But I look for experience, and she lacks it. She wants to imagine herself triumphing over my dead body, but she's wrong. She'll die a foolish little girl, and I cannot have that as my body."

Anger and dismay boiled at my veins rapidly like lava spilling over an erupting volcano. His insults repeated continuously through my head, and my hands fully gripped, and before I knew it, I leaped with Rasengan in hand. "FALL INTO DEATH, YOU BASTARD!" I reached flesh, and internal bone, and I grinned feeling this. But before long, my smile would fade from my expression. There were no screams of agony, no way of pain or death, just silence. Maybe I had silenced him completely. But the worst turned. My hand was caught and his skin, his whole complexion had turned into mud, done by one of his talented Earth techniques. I cringed trying to get out, and when I finally done so, I fell backwards, falling into the grey cold floor. I closed my eyes until warmer hands firmly clasped my back and I felt only the ground below my feet. My eyes opened to light again and I saw Kisame's furious expression upon the Earth clone. "That coward never changed."

My master pushed me up again and I quietly said thank you, but all of my emotion was towards this situation. My gaze ended up towards the false Orochimaru, eyes widened, mouth open, and with that, the mud multiplied, and couldn't stop transforming in its slimy form. By the time the jutsu stopped, the Orochimaru clones had reached from one to about fifty, surrounding us, and coming towards us without a pin-drop being made but the dripping of mud upon the floor. Kisame and I had turned opposite ways, our backs touching, both Samehada and Rasengan out.

"There must be a reason why he's not here," I gulped down my own words as hard as rock.

Kisame grunted. "To hell do I know… but Samehada knows that this took up some chakra to use, and he can tell that Orochimaru is certainly not in this room… or around this area-"

"-We'll damn him to hell when we reach him," I concluded, growling, "But this troublesome jutsu is stalling us… they'll keep reforming if they get cut down, and if we stick onto them… we're dead and gone."

But Kisame laughed two seconds later, amused by the situation. "Seize your laughter!" I commanded fiercely, "You should know that we are defeated two to fifty!"

A mud clone came wobbling towards Kisame, and with a heavy lift, he brought Samehada to behead him, leaving that diversion on the ground, the chakra put into that clone reforming with the mud produced to attach the head to the neck area. "Well," the shark man stated, "You clearly don't know your elements enough, do you, Tetane?"

Another on charged at me, a cold smile stretching on Orochimaru's false appearance. Then my Rasengan clashed onto his heart, and he sank, but was molding into a new model. "What do you mean by that, master?" I growled sarcastically, no grin following.

Kisame then again cut open another two more clones, leaving them bleeding mud to form back again. "If you knew, then I wouldn't have to explain. Orochimaru made these from his own chakra, and molded them with mud and earth elements. If I mix in my water jutsu, then that mud's gone. Too much water doesn't keep the earth element up in place, and we'll be free for the gate. You know any water jutsu?"

I reconsidered my multitude of combination of hand-signs and came up with a few. But my grin subsided. "I need water from a source to arise my jutsu's." One clone challenged me, and my Rasengan split through him, but it remolded just like the others. I turned to Kisame for a verbal response, but his mouth was filled and his hand-signs were perfectly executed. His lips split apart, and within him, Kisame had begun to fill some of the setting with water, forming around the clones that Orochimaru had schemed in producing for us. But as the water began to take form, the gate was shutting down, lowering with a creak in the process. Too many mud clones had taken up our time to properly avoid getting stuck in this metallic prison. I looked back to my master, who was struggling, but then saw what I had seen with anger. "This is pissing me off! Tetane, go fight them off! I'll try to hold the gate!"

I nodded vigorously as the mud started to slide off Orochimaru's chakra and into the water, graying brown and plastered with defeat. Most were gone by the time Kisame had waded towards the gate, and the exit was creaking with a sour note to close. My water dragon jutsu was perfected, and it devoured the mud chakra clones into its jaws and dissolved any that were left. The adrenaline and chakra pumped vigorously into my veins while each figure of Orochimaru was wiped out by my chakra creation. If only one of those was the bastard man I had vowed to destroy… trying to trick us and lock me up in here… that cowardly snake…

"Goddamn it!" Kisame sounded through the other side of the room, sweating, grunting with the strength of many men, "Tetane, help me out here! This is a bitch to get to!"

I struggled to form words as my body moved to move the massive chakra water dragon from the origin of Kisame's pool of water. "I almost have them! Give me time!"

I watched as Kisame made his way through to the gate just in time, but he hadn't made it to open a gap… Samehada had. Through whimpers and pants, the sword was tightly squeezed between the gate and the open watered ground, and Kisame stood still in shock while my emotions bundled in relief. "Samehada…" he breathed, alarmed. But then the gate's jaws snapped upon Samehada, and it moved towards us, crying in pain. The final creeks of the gate sounded, and echoed in our great defeat.

"Fuck!" I hissed, while Kisame looked at the ground, eyes closed in disappointment. He picked up Samehada curved into a ball, but with a few shakes, it straightened out again. "Honestly, Samehada, I picked you out of the rest of the swords for the best reasons... well, Tetane, we need a clever way out of here before we die of starvation," he sighed to me, making other hand signs, making the water disappear from under us. I widened my eyes in further panic, looking at my surroundings. "I wish I could say that we have time, but-"

Kisame gave me a confused expression, but then looked at my intensified face towards where I was looking. On the corner of the wall gave out a purple fog, coming out in a thin smoke, and through it all was a small metallic machine that had spurted out this mysterious gas. From my research in studying Orochimaru and his tactics, I knew he was doing something, for he would have personally shown up to deal with the important crisis that I and the Akatsuki were in his main lair. But to stall us and use a gas…

"Kisame, cover your mouth! This is temporary, but it'll put us at ease for a time being until he gets here! It's either paralysis gas or a sleeping gas!"

My partner stood still, covering his mouth and nose as soon as possible. But I picked up a few more squirts in the air, and soon the corners of the room were covered with the knock-out venom. We ran to the middle, close in contact, facing the purple mist in despair. But through the slit of the gate were a pair of feet, a shadow lurking before it. My eyes widened with horror as the pursuer stood casually further from the between wall as possible. But then to my despair, I coughed violently from the effects of the curse mark and manually slipped in atmosphere before I could prevent it. My vision subsided, but it was as clear as day that Kisame had breathed in some of the gas. He fell, and I was about to collapse as well. "Kisame… Kisame!" I looked dazed from his still body towards the exit with the pair of feet. Then my hearing perked as I heard a familiar voice. I fully understood its user's identity before I fell under.

"I'll be off, Kabuto, just give me some time to talk to Orochimaru…"

My eyes narrowed in frustration as I feel to the floor in unconsciousness.

_Sasuke Uchiha…!_

. . .

Sasuke's Point of View:

I smiled successfully. Revenge couldn't come as sweet as this. After I heard that Orochimaru wanted to come see me right after I did him an unknown favor of pressing buttons to release some gas in an attempt to capture back some runaways, I might as well plan for it now. The snake man was getting too weak for his own skin, and I already knew his little diabolical plot to steal my body. It's about time that I stop learning about everything… the only thing that he doesn't know about is my plan to finally get rid of the old snake demon.

Kabuto wasn't suspicious as all, I mean, I had been here for two years, being trained and practically pampered by his fierce leader. Fierce. Heh. It's going to be like squishing a marshmallow. He's too weak to fight truly for himself.

And all the people I met… I needed three of them to help me in my road to revenge. I found that Karin would be helpful with her chakra sensing, and Juugo of the North would make a good candidate… and a loyal one as well. And I'll take Suigetsu… he'll owe me for releasing him from that water prison that Orochimaru captured and experimented him in. That'll do me well in order to obtain what I really need.

I walked in onto a coughing Orochimaru, covering his mouth while rasping violently with a tiny bit of blood on his hand. His body was resting on his bed, and by the needs of his condition, today will absolutely be the day that I move on and don't need his teachings anymore. They were of moral importance, but his time was up since he first saw me in the Forest of Death.

"Sasuke! Did you do what I asked you?" asked the legendary Sannin, still begging for another tissue from his man-servant, Kabuto. He thought he was great, the so powerful and everlasting Orochimaru… that will never be heard from again. I'll be doing everyone a favor by getting rid of him.

I might as well answer his question loyally. "Yes, I did," I responded nonchalantly, almost containing myself to roll my eyes in annoyance. Then I noticed that Orochimaru's smile spread out wide across his pale snake-like face, filled with an evil happiness. "Sasuke… did I ever tell you who the prisoners were whom you had gassed with my poison were?"

I sighed to myself mostly. "No."

The snake man's smile curled more upright when he gave his information out. "Well, it'll be a huge surprise when I tell you that the Akatsuki were here on occasion… and that your brother's partner is here… along with my former student… Tetane Namikaze."

I eyes unintentionally widened by those two identifiers. Tetane was here…? I remembered her well. She was just as much as an idiot as her brother, but the question was… why was she here with my brother's partner? I knew she detested Akatsuki and Orochimaru with a passion and she might as well put my clan and me on her list. And I tried to recall that dreading day when I had proven I was nothing to my heartless brother, Itachi. Just the name sickens me and blackens my heart. But his partner… was one of the seven swordsmen of the hidden mist. He was with Zabuza in that little group. But he was with Tetane, with meant that they were partners… and maybe by chance Itachi was dead. No. That's not a possibility.

I also recalled Tetane in general. She hated my guts because of my attitude, the fact that I hated Naruto, and especially my clan versus hers, but tried to hide the fact that she was caught blushing because I was in the room. That's all girls when they see me… but the thing is… I think I have feelings for her as well…. Shut up! Shut up! That's all bullshit. She's been hunted down by the Akatsuki and got shut down by me. I think I'll give her a piece of my revenge from all of this once she wakes up…

"But Sasuke, heh, I had it all planned out! She and Kisame Hoshigaki came here to probably avenge the sake of the Akatsuki, when I couldn't be there to provide myself, so I used my mud clones as a temporary distraction, and you closed the gate and put them to sleep! It couldn't be better!"

I sat still within the drafted room. Tetane was part of the Akatsuki? That must have meant that he and his partner must have finally completed their mission of forcing Tetane into their organization. But I really don't want to think about this… not yet… I have further personal missions to complete. Right now.

"Orochimaru-sama…" I started, my expression as cold as ice.

The snake himself lifted his head from covering his mouth from the blood coming out, trying to cover the sign that he would have to transfer into another soul any minute. But then my Chidori struck him like a sword, and his yellow slanted eyes widened with question, but as soon as my lightning blade pieced his hands, he showed pain by grunting in struggle, blood slowly exiting out. "Sasuke, what is the meaning of this?"

"I no longer need your teachings," I pronounced, showing a curve if a smile, and activating my Sharingan to further 'brighten' the mood, "You're weak, and I think it would be better if you were annihilated from this world."

Orochimaru then proceeded to laugh coldly, the sweat from the pressure and his sickness dripping down to the covers along with the scarlet of his blood. "Heh. Sasuke, I expected this behavior from you… an avenger is always an avenger, trying to look for the best ways out of everything just to take part in revenge. Trust me when I say this, boy, but if I cannot compete against Itachi Uchiha, then you can't reach his level by conquering me! I am immortal! You will see!"

In huge frustration though Orochimaru speaking my brother's name, I stabbed through both of his arms, pinning him down against the wall, and yet, the old snake couldn't escape from me this time. I was so sure of it, then, Orochimaru's yellow eyes blacked out, and his body becoming limp and fell into place upon the bed, like a puppet whose strings have been cut. My eyes narrowed in annoyance. This wasn't how I should destroy the demon snake man like this. But then I heard the slightest sliver of a voice, and I looked behind me to find Orochimaru's real form.

It was definitely Orochimaru, alright. His cold, hungry yellow moon eyes were the same, but his head and entire body resembled, or were, part of a dark brown snake. I snickered. This was going to be quicker than I thought. If this is all the snake had to offer in attempt to transfer bodies, then he was mentally sicker than I imagined him to be.

"Sasuke! You are my ultimate vessel!"

His jaws snapped and his teeth went for my whole. This will all be over before the sun sets. And I'll leave Tetane a parting gift before I leave, just for measure.

. . .

Tetane's Point of View:

I had a dream when my full consciousness gave out to the lulling relaxant of the sleeping gas. No, not a dream, a flashback. I recalled it unconsciously when I finally felt false peace at hand.

_..._

_There were words spoken about someone intruding Orochimaru-sama's lair, and I didn't blink when I responded to the guards that it was impossible for someone to break into my master's lair without dying or ending up meeting with him as an ally. But I choke on my words even now with the intent to hope even more with these intruders. "These intruders will be dealt with by master's power." Oh, my words tasted sour when I found out everything about reality behind that hideout._

_I reached Orochimaru by the time I heard massive bombings and screams throughout the halls. "Orochimaru-sama! There are intruders-"_

"_I've heard," he smoothly interrupted, seriousness practically oozing from his voice, "Tetane-chan, I want you to evacuate… and I'll fight them off the best I can…" And then I heard him whisper to himself without the realization of my hearing. "Damn, they're finally here to get her back!"_

_More rumbling resumed and, being ten years old and not yet an age to fully understand, had turned my head around to the confusion of why intruding Shinobi would get their way through. I leaned against one of the dark orange halls with a dim lighting, and a patrol of my master's guards ran in military motion, and I was truly afraid. "Did you hear…" one of them spoke in a panic, the sweat trickling off of his quivering brow, "…that Konaha Shinobi broke through? We're under attack!"_

_Konahagakure Shinobi? I heard that they were the most bloodthirsty, cruel, malicious, and cold hearted people in all of the five nations. That's what Orochimaru-sama told me. _

_But then again… he told me a lot of things that I've doubted. Like what happened to Suigetsu. He said he had defaulted from one of his experiments, and died in the vaccine that had killed many other people in the process. But I still believe he's alive. Somehow._

_I hid with a terrified expression on my hide, hiding on the corner, clutching my arms and keeping my legs together in desperation. More screams were heard throughout. I couldn't stand screaming. I'd wish that no one would yell again. My heart rate got up, my thoughts repeating my master's whispered words before he left to defend the lair. There was no way… why would I be wanted?_

"_It's her! We finally found her!"_

_My eyes widened and I let out a gasp of petite terror. I turned my head, and the man who stood about two feet higher than me was smiling kindly, with a vest of pale green and his headband carved with the symbol of Konahagakure. I backed to the wall, unsure of words. This man looked too kind for his own village. "Get away from me!" My eyes released my Raikugan, and the man looked mistakenly. Then after my commands in attempt, he brought a kunai to slit his throat. He dropped dead, and I ran away, crying that I killed another innocent man, but yet, rumored to be a coldhearted killer of Konahagakure. My breath increased more and more as my heart leapt in a sickening panic. Never… never…_

_I tripped upon the cold ground and the dimmed light brought me and my shadow to combine. I paused, confused, then the tears were brought upon the ground as well, salty and hot. "Darn it, darn it! Orochi-"_

"_I wouldn't do that if I were you, little girl."_

_My eyes were brought to another ninja of Konahagakure, who looked down on me with narrowed grey eyes. His arms were crossed in relief. "So you're Tetane Namikaze… you look like your dad."_

"_Don't look upon me like we know each other! You're a cold hearted, cowardly, stupid person just like the rest of your village!" I screamed, desperately trying to force help, "And you have no right to recall my father! He was a terrible man who never cared for me and threw me away to go and kill himself! I'm glad he died to save whomever! Because he deserved death! Only Orochimaru-sama is my real father!" I breathed in nostalgia, and from all of this agony, I knelt onto the floor, my tiny fists squeezed as white as bone. I tried to wipe away my childish tears with anger, but all that came out was more sadness. The mysterious Shinobi's eyes carried sympathy, an emotion which no one here was accustomed to. I looked upon him when my eyes were redder from tears than the Raikugan. _

"_Wow," he spoke nonchalantly, trying to break the silence, "You've really been brainwashed by him, haven't you?"_

_I looked upon that man in fury. "What? How could you say that?"_

"_Listen Tetane," he spoke in a deep, serious, but yet tired tone, "I need to tell my side of the story. Hear me out. So you say that your dad was a terrible man who never cared about you… heh. That's a real riot. Konahagakure," he bent a knee and I hesitated to him, "… is my village. Our village, as you might know. And your dad, Minato Namikaze, was Hokage."_

"_Do you think I'm stupid? I'm not as young mentally as you think! I already know this information-"_

"_But the things you don't know will, well, practically change the way you look at things. He was one of the greatest men that ever lived, period. He died to save… I'll give you the highlights later. But, he never neglected you. As the heir of the Raikugan, he wanted to give up everything for his little daughter, who has his blonde hair, genetic to possess the Raikugan, a short managed, temper, intelligent, and might I say; a hero at heart. You're just like your dad, and if he were still alive today… god, you'd be the most loved, happiest little girl that could ever be produced. But here you are now, in hell, to say in nicer terms. Please, Tetane, don't be terrified by the truth, but Orochimaru is an evil man with a huge criminal background in the Bingo Book. Not to mention, he experiments on children like you… you're just lucky… you have the Raikugan to save your life every single day of your life. He was in a criminal organization named Akatsuki, and he couldn't be more devilish than the devil himself. Tetane, he's a horrible man… and he plans to take over your body and manipulate you for his world takeover. I'm sorry to tell you the truth, but sometimes, it hurts."_

_I looked upon this informed man with a huge disbelief, and then, my soul ripped apart permanently. I ran to the man, and I collapsed on him as he gave me a hug of empathy. "Shh, shh, it's going to be fine. I'll be there to take you out of here."_

_My gasp sounded throughout the lair's section. "So… we're going outside, with trees, and the sun, and a sky?" I imagined the description that ran through my mind, cold air and the sun beating down upon my skin. The man laughed as her brought me to his back. "Hold on, I think we're taking a trip. Don't worry, it'll be alright." I could feel the cheekbones on his face rise. I wiped the portion of my tears, and smiled half-heartedly. I clutched onto his shoulders, and he took off, and headed with the other ninja surrounding the outside of the lair in a few minutes time with only a few attacks, but a few surprised faces that I was going with the enemy… but they were not my enemy anymore. I'll learn to love my village. _

"_By the way, Tetane-chan, how old are you?"_

"_Today's my tenth birthday!" I replied with a smile as we climbed out of the hole, and saw the moon bright and for the first time in my life. The stars, which were only spoken by the prisoners held in that horrific lair, were as beautiful as described, glittering and holding pieces of the universe. I also noted the young, energetic faces of the other ninja wearing the same signature of the Konahagakure village. Each face rose in happiness, and cheers rang throughout the Sound village barrier as we all went towards the southwest on the shortest route to their, I mean, our home. Each fist was raised for my sake, and I never felt joy like this swelling in my chest. The man who saved me laughed lightly. "Well, happy tenth birthday, Tetane," he noted ironically._

_As all of the other Shinobi jumped through trees as the man with me on his back did, a jonin came up to him, a gruff man with a full beard and a cigarette in his mouth, smiling with bright white teeth. "You never seize to surprise me, Kakashi." He laughed and I nuzzled into the exterior of this Kakashi's pale green nest, and the grey haired man gave a bit of a sigh. "I might as well, huh? Besides, she's a good kid. And my sensei would be beaming at me from heaven right about now."_

_I remember drifting off to a once in a while peaceful sleep, a smile still remaining on my face._

...

"Tetane… Tetane…"

I eyelids fluttered to see Kisame's face in a breath of relief. He appeared awful; his face was cut up, but his smile stayed planted onto his blue face. He shook me lightly as his eyes were arising in a fire of panic. "Kisame…" But then, reality came and shot me in the heart. "Orochimaru-"

"Calm down, kid," the shark man muttered, grunting, trying to get himself up from his heavy, sore muscles, "At least we're not dead, yet. You were out for I don't know how long, and me as well. But while you were knocked out cold, I managed to get Samehada to make a way out of here. Not really the lawnmower type, but he managed to suck it up." He laughed lightly, his grin coming back. But my seriousness and panic still crept up upon my emotions as I got upon my two feet.

"Listen, master," I spoke hoarsely, but with a wave of sickening concern bellowing in my stomach, "If we're still here after the effects, then Orochimaru is much occupied; almost too occupied. He would care about getting his precious ex-student back into his clutches, not some other manner, unless it was his own devilish soul that was set upon the line. So we might as well get out of here as it is… I'm going to find that cold-hearted bastard."

Kisame nodded, a full smile setting on his injured face. "Alright then." He directed me to the gate, which successfully, had been escaped, and a burrow progressed underneath the metal door, big enough of Kisame barely to get through. I gave my famous sarcastic grin. "You and Samehada are genius'… and I hate to say it."

"Oh, Tetane Namikaze choking on her own words…"

I snapped back as I gave a petite snicker. "You'll regret that one, asshole." We got through the burrow with some exhaustion in squeezing in, but the accursed sword Samehada had stuck through and thoroughly done its job. We were out in the open, and racing to the orange, dimly-lit halls again. But I got this feeling inside my core… it was gross, and my heart raced faster than my legs could. I don't know what the problem was, but I could almost throw up. It was heart-wrenching, and as soon I pointed out Orochimaru's bedroom to Kisame, who in return, smashed the door of its hinges, my heart almost ripped apart. Permanently.

There upon the ground was the severed head of the true Orochimaru. Dead.

A snake upon its tomb. Revenge has finally served its purpose, but for the wrong reasons.


	16. Sympathy

**Hello and Happy Beginning of Summer!**

**So it's been a while. I know. But still, this is a kickass chappie and I hope you guys like it!**

**Comments! (Of course):**

**-xxyang2006xx (chap.15): Oh. Meh. Jashin. You are AMAZING! Haha, I love the encounter with the Komaha brothers, and how, sadly, little bro Naruto threw out his little story… darn! I wish it would've continued! I LOVED it. And it made my day. So… I would love another one… maybe? But whatever, you're an awesome reviewer and I appreciate it! :D**

**-GEMfaerie (chap.15): Thanks! And I just update whenever I feel like it… since it's the summer time, I'll have much more updates since I have a little more time! (:**

**-silverblueroses (chap.15): Haha! Wow! Alright, so when… hm… well, it'll be in future chapters for sure, and some flashbacks when they really met in the regular Naruto series, so it'll come out soon! And thanks for the R and R!**

**Yay! So, good with those, and onto the show! This is the last chapter associated with Orochimaru in anyway, so here it is! Please review… they make my day just by saying a few words! **

**Enjoy! **

* * *

16

My pride was crushed into oblivion. And it didn't break evenly, either.

My eyes coldly fixed upon the severed remains of the great snake Sannin. His jaw was into the form of someone screaming for blood or for mercy, or in my sense, a bit of both. His gigantic snake structure had been split apart, and some spores were open. His yellow, but lifeless and was full no longer with the pain of desires lusting with his irises to complete the most jutsu to conquer the entire world. His jaw was unhinged, apparently trying to bite the head off of someone, probably his conqueror, or even he reacted to try to get his ultimate body… _Sasuke Uchiha!_

"No…no…"

My knees unhinged and collapsed as I held my palms out for protection. This gut-wrenching feeling in my stomach grew, and as soon as his blood scent hit my nose, my tears collided with his vein carrying life source. I looked down upon Orochimaru's decapitated head and the multitude of sliced body parts of the huge snake upon the ground, and I soon knew… half of my life spent in misery was destroyed. Orochimaru… he taught me so much. I take some jutsu for granted, but he taught me horrible, but amazing things with the talent he's acquired. I could see the morsel of kindness for me in those yellow eyes, somewhat through all that cold chakra that he acquired before his blood was finally spilt. He cared for me, as a father for a daughter… at least, that's what I thought. I had no intention in knowing what demises were going through his twisted mind. But he cared for me… that's what I felt like in that childhood there; carefree and thoughtless, like a cloud through the blue blanket sky, so free and peace made it to me through the time I was introduced to him through his deliberate kidnapping to raise me and use me later and life. But he thought wrong about just using me for a tool of destruction for himself… love for a student pulsed through his cold evil veins, even though I knew Orochimaru regretted his plan of just raising me and then when I was old enough, to be brought to his ultimate use. I was never to be trusted… that was how I was brought up to be, ironically. I guess karma has its ways, but I thought in fate, I would be the one to kill him, to seek murderous vengeance against the man that destroyed my recognition of the truth for half of my life. But here he was… lying, eyes cold and empty, no soul to fill them with yellow light ever again.

My tears mixed evenly in with the blood upon the cold cement. My lip quivered, and my voice rasped plainly, never thinking I would speak again with this sick feeling in myself. "Fate turned against me… against… ME…" More rivers escaped my eyes silent as the night. I'd never think I'd ever feel so deeply about revenge. Revenge. That was it.

"Whomever did this… shall face death with my hand… only then will the score be settled…!"

I talked only in a deep murmur to myself, but Kisame, who I barely knew in the room due to my initial shock, had heard every word with a depressing sigh. Still, he should be happy. The snake was dead, gone, and gotten rid of from the organization he served under, whom had wanted him exterminated due to his incapability to spill secrets about Akatsuki. But I had always believed through fate that I would kill him after all those incompetent years. I never had it planned. I never made it time to kill him myself… all those years I had his presence and full attention to myself…

"I am such a fool! For leaving that bastard man all these years and now… goddamn it, I deserve to look upon this man to pity myself against another who took his hands on him! Why can't I do anything right in this world? MY WHOLE LIFE IS A LIE!" I slammed my fists on the ground, cringing in this emotionally scarring heartbreak. Then I broke down a third time, my hands clutching and covering my face, having my knees support my spine and body. I knelt lower, gaining so much weight from the misery of it all. My partner behind me, waited patiently.

"Heh. I find the irony funny. You know, Tetane, I thought that same thing my entire life."

I looked at my partner in incredibility, the redness of my cheeks burning through my face. He was hurt emotionally; I could see it in his eyes, and he looked at the ground like his past life had stared him right in his soul. "It was definitely something I regret, but we learn. But don't do what I did. Fight for what you truly state for, and keep marching on. Kid, you've got everything there is in you. Don't stop that heart from beating."

All was silent afterwards in that setting and all stood still. Never had I been in this situation… this situation where my enemy gives me kindness to something I should be suffering fourfold in. Why is he helping me overcome this? He should laugh his blue ass off for my suffering; after all, I did take his sword hand and wasted all of his chakra. These are not the emotions that he should be dealing with now. "Why now…?"

"Huh?"

I wiped a tear from my face and with soreness blistering in my kneecaps; I stood to face my internal rival and Akatsuki partner and superior. "Why do you tell me this now? Shouldn't you be mocking me for my emotions being spilt upon the ground for not avenging my long-time goal to destroy the man that put lies in my mind for literally half of my life? I had taken everything to take your life and put it in hell, and yet, you lift me up at my lowest? What is this bullshit?"

He grinned simply, an eyebrow raised in response. "You're surprised? That an evil, bloodthirsty, monster like me would have emotions? Tetane, everyone, everything, has a heart somewhere. No one's completely good, or evil. Itachi told me that once. But we never learn who we truly are unless on the brink of death. Then you'll get your little wish whether or not I go into hell or not." He snickered lightly and continued while I fully stood up, eyes wider than the sky. "But for right now, I think I have a pretty good idea that I'm going there, despite how much fun it is to be me. I'll be there with Orochimaru, and you can dance on our graves."

My stomach sank, despite my optimistic feeling in my head. "Only the cold blooded go to hell. The snakes-"

"And the sharks," he said with a hint of deepness in his tone. I looked down back at Orochimaru's split-apart body, and back to Kisame, with a lump in my throat. If he had the same fate… it wouldn't feel the same; I could feel it already rising in my gut. I would feel more remorse than celebratory…

_Get that out of your head. Your heart is playing illusions on your mind… he is the enemy. He will die. It is your mission to carry, and your emotions should never overpower you._

My inner consciousness was contacting me again, and I shook my head, reapplying myself. It was always brain before heart, and that's what will help me accomplish my goals for the future. Either a dead fool or a smart warrior. That's how you survive the Shinobi world; you kill with no twinge of the heart.

I was brought back to the earth, and looked up to the man I will kill later when the Akatsuki would fall as well as him. "This is a tragic day in my history. We'll tell Leader-sama that he is dead, killed by whomever we find this out from. My bet is its Sasuke Uchiha, that naïve, sadistic little snake…!"

Kisame nodded, eyes narrowed, totally serious. "We don't need any more unnecessary deaths, and besides, we're here for Suigetsu. Remember that."

"I've never forgotten. I shall interrogate whomever we can find and try to detonate the hideout with Suigetsu in our grasp. Trust me on this one…" I looked upon the widened, dead eyes of my former teacher, "I will not fail again. Not after so many tries."

Kisame began walking out while I still looked upon the corpse with intensity and so much nostalgia clogging my eyes and throat. The memories past me when I looked from his cold, paused eyes to the times that he smiled evilly, laughed loudly and with a scratch in his throat. I hated him… but he loved me as one of his own children…

"_No. No. Get that bullshit out of your head. It's not to lead you anywhere in life except into a land where everyone loves everyone else… that's called a false utopia. Orochimaru wanted your eyes and your life. And now, he's dead and gone, rotting his snake skin out on the cold ground… now what are you going to do? I bet our lives that it was Sasuke Uchiha. Sasuke Uchiha, heh, your little secret lover whom you hated so much because your eyes and clans, but I knew you've always liked him. And to tell yourself the truth… he felt the same. Remember that time when he left Konaha; he left you? For Orochimaru? Do you know how much that broke everyone's hearts, the people you love, and the gruesome fact that now this heartless boy has killed the man you've always wanted to slaughter for yourself?"_

I froze in my mentality with my inner me connecting with my mind, screaming for an answer to something. I tried to cover my ears, but my thoughts had always heard my consciousness.

"_He's the enemy! If you kill him, you kill Orochimaru as well… problem solved, then! Besides, that boy is a waste to society, and that would end one of the last Uchiha lives, and then the older one… no more Sharingans to control you. Doesn't that sound like music to your ears?"_ Her incessant sarcastic grin was mocking me, and her golden eyes grew cold. Then it finally came to me… I was becoming part of the organization that I had sought vengeance against. The major plan was working. I was becoming one of them.

I shook my consciousness out of my mind and sat upright while Kisame was waiting by the exit, sighing. "You know, we don't have all the time in the world. We have Suigetsu to find."

He snapped me out of my personal trance with his grumble. "Oh… sorry. Alright, let's go. I should be happy… Orochimaru is in hell anyways, and I find that a great achievement, though I'll kill the sorry bastard who eliminated him from the earth."

Kisame snickered. "Heh. I like your reasoning, kid."

. . .

We ran through the hallways, and I swear my notorious partner and I saw at least a hundred bodies lying lifelessly on the floor, bleeding out on the ground. No sight of the Komaha brothers yet, but I want some hopeful chances. So far, no one I knew quite yet. A few familiar empty faces that I remember vaguely during my years spent here, but no one I was closely connected to and knew personally. But the scent of blood was getting fresher… almost like this killer wanted us to come. Then, my vision subsided, and I saw the two identical chickens running with flutes in hand we caught onto earlier. I rolled my eyes automatically. Here we go.

"Wait, is that… TETANE?"

"No shit, asshole!"

They stopped in front of us, and Kisame grumbled, commanding me to stop before anymore blood was spilt. I groaned in annoyance to my master's tolerance levels, but I listened. The two twins stopped, and their hazel eyes widened. My Raikugan faded into their minds, and they froze, but they were able to communicate through verbal language. They stood in the sprinting position for as long as I desired, and the plan was perfect. Kisame cackled, and the brothers were cussing in words that I didn't even know existed.

"So boys, it's nice to finally see you!" I sarcastically remarked, walking over to the brunettes, grinning with eyes widened intentionally. They saw my falsely insane facial expression, and they seized their speech. "Gosh, I cannot wait to put you both through so much insanity that your brains will melt from torture over the use of the Raikugan…" My teeth shown in the night, in a grin that brought out my inner demon if there was one.

Kyumi was in a dire panic. "Didn't we put you on chains? I thought that you were under the spell of the Komaha brothers!"

"Yeah!" Kyoki agreed, making this argumentative fight with two against me, "Tet-Tetane! We thought Orochimaru-sama-"

"Finally brought me to my knees, proud that I was captured at long last, the dreadful and terrifying Tetane Namikaze was brought back again since seven years ago…? Ha! You two are the most gullible pair of Shinobi I've ever come to meet… you really think I would be caught in that gen-jutsu of yours again?" I brought a kunai to one of the twin's necks, preferably Kyoki, and he started trembling, still frozen to the cold ground under my paralysis gen-jutsu.

Kyumi's eyes darted towards Kisame, who pulled out his sword, and some of the bandages slipped as dark blue teeth shown from underneath, gnarling at the two gen-jutsu flautists. "Oh shit! God, Kyoki, that's Kisame Hoshigaki, ya know, ole' shark tooth? He was in the seven freaking swordsmen!"

"And I have true intentions of shaving both of your little chicken necks off," Kisame commented darkly, but in a comedic way, "Ever since you captured me, I've been annoyed from the both of you even speaking. By the way, to include in the details, that wasn't Tetane you grabbed with your little song." He balanced Samehada on Kyumi's neck, the thrashing of its teeth heard echoing from the dimly-lit hallway. This plan was going out perfectly. We were secretly mocking them, and they were so terrified that if I unfroze the gen-jutsu that they would be constipated enough from fear to entirely shit themselves.

Both were in internal agony. "Well, what the hell do you want?"

I coughed lightly, but not enough to fully cover the blood in my hand. "I require a few demands. First, don't EVER call me a bitch again, or both of you will wake in a lion's den by the time the sun comes up." Kisame grinned and burst out laughing gruffly, adjusting the sword so it ran closer to Kyumi's neck. I snickered; this was fun, and this was absolute make-up for all the times they pulled my hair and 'bragged' that they were better. Sweat ran down their brows, and their eyes darted from both me and my delighted and amused partner.

"Second... well, you both need the synopsis anyway. You both know Suigetsu, don't you? He laughed at you gentlemen for twirling around in pride like ballerinas and playing the most girlish instruments he's ever laid eyes on. He thought you both should tear matching pink tutus."

"Bastard…" Kyoki gasped, gritting his sharper teeth. I laughed lightly in amusement. "So you do know… tell me. Tell me his location inside this hellhole. Or Kisame-san and I shall end up slicing your necks open. Your direct choice." I grinned, and they panicked as we moved both our weapons to the vulnerable flesh of their tanner necks.

"Don't, DON'T! He's two floors down, and five doors on the left… he's the second to last canister!" Kyumi explained in a hurry, cringing his eyes to get away from the pain that Kisame was never going to inflict upon him or the possibility of me onto his twin brother, also imagining the consequences if no one answered. We were never going to hurt them, but I wanted answers. But I raised an eyebrow automatically. _Canister? Was he totally incased in a glass tube for seven years? _

"Is this true?" I pronounced quietly.

Both nodded with heart pounding fright, and I sighed. "You know, Kyumi, Kyoki, I respect you both as fellow Shinobi, and I heard about your little dilemma with Orochimaru. Did you both know… that he's dead and gone?"

Hazel eyes widened, and Kisame looked down in boredom, seeing my side of remorse showing from my actions. Kyoki stammered in his response while his twin brother, behind my blade, had jaw dropped and in a state of incredulity. "WHAT THE FUCK? You killed him?"

I tried to ignore that last comment with more intelligent and calmer words. I hated saying the truth; it left a horrible bitter feeling on my tongue. "No. I bet my life it was Sasuke Uchiha, Orochimaru's little pet. But I only wanted to tell both of you this because I want to give the only chance of escape from this hellhole." I heard an intended groan from my partner, who wanted to give Samehada a chance to suck in some chakra from one of the boys. The twin flautists, however, looked at each other and back at me and my proposition. "Wait… what?"

"I'm going to collapse this building once I find Suigetsu and get out of here. I encourage that both of you go back to Kumogakure and apologize to the Raikage for your intended actions of abandoning your village for the sake of power with Orochimaru. I know for a fact that he'll have a temper with the both of you, but you men will be forgiven. Besides, you're both his sons, correct? I knew that you both haven't seen the sun for twelve years now…? And I can't stand anyone having that punishment. It's living hell down here, anyways."

My Raikugan faded out of their minds, and they relaxed as I pulled my kunai back and placed back into the original pouch underneath my cloak. Kisame pulled back as well, Samehada growling, complaining to its master that it never got the chance to feed off of good full chakra. I walked back, and both Kyumi and Kyoki were awestruck. Then they got the chance to tackle me onto the filthy ground in celebration.

"THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!"

"Tetane-sama, we will be in your gratitude! Anything you want, come on down to Kumo!"

I quickly got up, very annoyed. This behavior reminded me of Tobi, and the fact that their maturity were of five-year olds. Hopefully they grow into well established Shinobi of their village, but it felt heartwarming to give them this chance. "Alright, alright, get off before I unleash the Raikugan again. Just go. Hopefully I don't see you both again until you guys grow up."

They gave the biggest smiles of pure and elemental happiness I think I've ever witnessed. I turned around and we began walking as soon as possible. "We owe ya big time, lil' sis!" Kyumi offered, lifting thumbs up, "Just holler!" Then they began sprinting to the opposed exit. I almost groaned in annoyance. "It's the other way you idiots!"

The footsteps stopped and two overjoyed cries sounded in the right wing, and the two twins, who were racing to the fork of the hallways, saw us, and our very irritated glares. They then proceeded to the left wing, and with hopeful minds and hearts set, they exclaimed loudly in victory. "YAHOO!"

Well, there go the two identical idiots. Kisame grunted, pulling his head to the opposite direction. I nodded, seriously, now knowing that we were both here for a reason… to manage to get Suigetsu and get this infectious disease off of my bloodstream.

Kisame and I began sprinting to where Suigetsu's location would be: _He's two floors down, and five doors on the left… he's the second to last canister…_ But I felt a wave of relief in my soul; that I wasn't completely heartless… I helped change the lives of two people who were entirely lost in the world due to the man whom I didn't have the approximate amount of time to kill. My conscious helped me pull out of that one. What if I had shown no mercy, ending their innocent lives? I'm happy about that… but I'll still have to kick their asses out of this planet if they call me bitch again.

Kisame stopped immediately after we reached the door with all of the water canisters inside. There was a glowing blue aura coming from each one of them, bubbles of oxygen arising from the bottom, making their way to the top of the surface. Each canister was mechanically linked to movable rods, and the only sound heard within this room was the soothing sound of dripping water… wait… dripping?

"Quick, Kisame! Look anywhere you can for an open canister! One must have been cracked or broken open!"

The Shark Man raised an eyebrow, but understood what I meant, racing one way, and I sprinted towards another direction, looking for that one canister Kyumi told me from the back of his mind. _No… no…_ I kept my adrenaline pumping and overrunning my body, the beat of my heart racing as much as my feet stepping onto the cold ground. _Second to last…_

I stopped immediately. My heartbeat stopped immediately, and my eyes froze to their position of horror. "Kisame… KISAME! GET OVER HERE!"

When my master finally got there in the matter of a few seconds after hearing my shocked cry of aid, his eyes widened as well. "Damn it…"

The canister in front of us was empty, and the leak was dripping out weakly, creating pools in the front of Suigetsu's container. A sword-mark was obviously slashed through, creating a slight crack on the sides, but was thrusted through the glass with no strength needed to create such a cut. It was official. Suigetsu was nowhere in sight and missing in action.

I dropped onto my knees on the water, punching through the pools, trying to create an impact, but I was having a temper tantrum of a three year old, red-faced and crying to make the water even more gratuitous than it needed to be. The sweat and tears mixed in perfectly to create a new solution of sadness, and dripped continuously into the water substance that my best childhood friend had been kept captive in for seven years. His smile and his silly, yet cheerful behavior ran through my memories, nostalgia forming into my eyes as I turned my aggression to meaningless punches on the puddles which now hold my sadness. I stomped ad stomped with my fists, but all that came back at me were the splashes of pools. I clenched the water as if it were a rock about to crush, my head lifting from the base. I shut my mouth; my actions already expressed my anger.

I carried myself upon my two feet, surprisingly, and lifted my head slowly, the redness glowing of my eyes in pure emotional fury. Kisame, who remained through all of this, stood silently. "Well, at least we know he's alive. We'll catch him later, wherever the hell he is."

I repeated my partner's reassuring words in my head, nodding slightly. Besides me losing my first battle to the man who stands right next to me, this has to be the most miserable of all days I've lived on Earth.

_Rub yourself from all this shit. Stop crying out rivers. Soon, it will be the time to strike, and take out your revenge._

I agreed with my conscious of once. Get yourself together, Tetane Namikaze. You're better than kneeling to the doings of another renegade in the facility.

"Tetane Namikaze and Kisame Hoshigaki. Looks like you came a bit too late."

I turned to whomever spoke in our presence. His voice was softer, more persuasive, light and convincing. The light from the outside fire glowing onto the walls had illuminated his body, through this man did not seem very strong, leaning against the side of the door entrance in case of falling. He breathed heavily, and glared at me with those circular glasses that shone white light, blocking his eyes from mine. He smiled simply, seeing Kisame Hoshigaki, the great Mist swordsmen, and me, once his friend from the prisons. Besides… I was the one who released the brainwashing jutsu from his system. Then in return a few years after, when I was beaten up by the fellow prisoners whom escaped and tried to strangle me due to my eyes and their power, Kabuto flung himself over to aid to my fragile seven-year old bones that had broken several times. 'A life for a life' he had always said with a sweet smile. But now was not the time for his presence… nor did I appreciate his loyalty to Orochimaru who was now dead. I can't wait to see the look on his face.

Once the light dimmed from his glasses, his dark eyes shone with depression, a frown instead of the reassuring smile that I loved as a child. He stumbled with a limp, and hung onto the wall. Kisame raised an eyebrow, not knowing Kabuto, but I stiffened, frowning with suspicions.

"Kabuto. I haven't seen you since the failing invasion of the Leaf. How are you, my friend?" Every little word dripped with sarcasm as I walked over with an insane smile on my face. Time for explanation.

He chuckled softly. "I see you haven't changed one bit, little Miss. Sarcasm. Kisame Hoshigaki…" he addressed my partner with an excited tone, "it's a pleasure-"

"Don't choke," he interrupted, eyeing my devilish behavior, seeing what was coming out of me, "Anyone who serves that snake is not welcome. He betrayed our organization, and was still alive."

"And now he's dead, his head rotting on the cold stone ground." I felt ultimate pride breathing into those spoken words, even though I was not the person to commit this ultimate greatness. The anger of not killing my old teacher swelled and traveled through my veins to my fists, tightening to match the color of Kabuto's shining hair. I saw his flushed face, and the sadness behind those dark eyes, grieving for the loss of his lord. Perfect prey.

My eyes widened, and I came up against the wall in a millisecond, pinning his neck against the stone, my blood boiling burning his neck and flesh. He tried to remove my grip, but his lack of oxygen provoked him. I avoiding using my eye; I had little chakra left and some injuries. Through I did look in his eyes for the time being, a psychological defect to make him think that I would activate the Raikugan at any second. He closed his eyes, cringing, gagging and weak as a newborn child.

"Listen… I have just one question to ask you. Who's the son of a bitch that took my only chance for survival, hm? Was it Sasuke Uchiha, the one who ordered you around like a worthless slave? Or maybe someone else… but that's nothing too much to find out, huh, Kabuto?" My smile spread to its limit.

He gasped in mercy and panic as Kisame came in the back of me, breathing rhythmically. "Not too much…"

"I DON'T CARE!" I turned in fumes to the man whom I interrogated violently. "I don't like secrets, Kabuto, especially when they're about my duties and myself. So open and speak, for if you don't, you'll be killed in vein instead of clearing your soul and entering a much better place when you die from my hand."

Kabuto's glasses fogged appealingly from his breath, gasping for a windpipe to inhale decent oxygen. _Too bad. He'll be dead if he doesn't tell me. _

My conscious entered my mind with Kabuto's image onto the wall, eyes glazed. Dead. She smiled evilly, like the last time I saw the nine-tailed fox when I saw my brother's body. _"Don't you enjoy this? I thought you were never the hesitant type… I thought you were going to be the great legend that killed and slaughtered Orochimaru. He's deceased, his corpse rotting on these very floors, his blood spilt and his soul reaped finally by the devil himself. His death wasn't claimed by you, no, just the youngest Uchiha heir who you have old childhood affections for. Don't you just want to rip his heart apart? He chose the wrong side, he walked right to Orochimaru's doorsteps and wanted to be taught by the great snake. He's a traitor, a runaway, a coward, and not to mention he holds affections for you as well. Here's my main plan. Tetane, listen. Listen to the brain rather than the heart. Kill this son of a bitch. He's worthless unless you get the information out of his mentality. Then, kill Uchiha and gather Suigetsu. Get that chakra out of your system by inflicting the curse-mark, and at the time when you are the most villainous, kill the man next to you. I sense your pitiful heart. You're starting to bond. Break that bond. Break him."_

I was held by my brain to make that decision. Her golden eyes flashed red towards me, and Kabuto deteriorated in her hands, dissolving into the atmosphere.

My heart felt heavy upon the burden I carried. I think this was a gut feeling.

"No. I'm not killing Kabuto. He's an innocent man who needs that chance in life. He's too young."

Tetane came close to me, appearing before me a cloud of red. _"What? You'd rather be a fool? Alright then… fail! See him grow out of his hatred that Orochimaru was killed, and that you strangled him to desperation. He'll break that code you both set up when you almost bled to death, beaten up by some ragged men in their brigs. 'A life for a life'. That's pathetic."_

"I'm not completely an abomination to society. I hope that my brain still knows that. My heart still keeps to my people and village." I turned, walking out in a daze. Then became reality, and Kabuto was still in his place, and I loosened the grip on his neck. "Just tell me who took Suigetsu. Now." I spoke in a strained voice, defeated by my heart for once. Kabuto gasped loudly, coughing for a solution to give in.

"He's… with… Sasuke… I saw… everything. Sasuke released him… form the tank, and they made… a deal on finding… Zabuza's decapitation sword… just… let me go… Tetane…"

My grip melted, and his body fell to the floor, his back against the wall, coughing about blood in the process. He gripped his stomach, eyeing me precociously with a grin on his face. "You've certainly got stronger…"

"Shut up and stop squirming on the floor, Kabuto." I turned to the exit, and Kisame eyed me suspiciously at my side.

"Wait, st-stop!"

I face Kabuto once more, who crawled to the ground in desperation and in search of an answer. "Why did you save me? I was Orochimaru's second man… from your temper history, I should be dead on the ground without a chance…"

The answer was simple. I turned my eyes to him, gold flashing to fill in the emptiness of his black and night eyes, searching for a solution. I smiled simply. "A life for a life."

His eyes widened, looking like a prophetic vision had come upon him, or an omen of the truth of his entire life approached him. He stared at me, but I basically turned away with my captor and partner at my side, unusually through it all. I spoke for the last time to Orochimaru's second-hand man. "You'd better find a way out of this hellhole… because this is the last time it will be stable. Hope you make the right moves, Kabuto."

He sat rigid upon the ground, clenching the ground with his glasses completely fogged. I turned my back onto him, and we disappeared from sight.

. . .


	17. The Heart's Burden

**Yay for the SUPER CHAPTER! Right here! :D**

**Alright, so Summer's catching up to me and I've been slacking off, BUT! I wanted to write this chappie SO BADLY. I love it personally, but it's kinda heart breaking, and there's a lot of stuff going on in this, but hopefully you readers make it though. :P**

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**Xxyangxx2006(chap. 16): OMG that would be great if you made another one. I would absolutely love you :3 and thanks for reviewing! Hopefully this chapter won't be too long! (crosses fingers)**

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* * *

17

Destroying the Sound Village's true hideout was easy, and well worth it. I loved every sound of a crash, every scream from a prisoner of war, I cherished it all. The men, driven insane and starving in their guinea pig cages of Orochimaru's chamber, had been released… but to an extent. I judged that only the pure of heart or the ones I felt empathy and I shared a connection with had been able to pass. The others… a fate of fire and flames. Many had tried to kiss my hand in love, saying that they admired me throughout, and I was the most beautiful young woman they've even laid eyes on. Bullshit, I replied, and moved on without looking back. I found some who were worthy, whom seemed still sane, still loyal to their village, and to the people. There was one little child… clutching a teddy bear like it was his soul on the edge. He explained meekly that we was taken from Iwagakure, kidnapped, and sold to Orochimaru for money, and then the dealers got killed by the great snake in the end. He told me with a whisper his strained voice that his best friend, who also was brought here, had died maliciously by the insanity of the chemicals produced, for this particular boy possessed an unusual kekki-genkai. I wanted so badly to take the boy in as my own to nurture and grow healthy, but Kisame, with a gleam of darkness in his eyes, said no, but to release him. He wasn't particularly into the entire idea of mine for releasing some of the pure-hearted, but he felt that it would bring at least some 'cheering up because I looked depressed as hell'. I saw my partner's reactions to each person, and there was one elder driven to complete insanity by the sighs he had seen, backed into a corner, shivering and smiling with barely any teeth.

"You… you're that shark demon… Kisame-kun! You were that boy who caused that riot on the main square!"

Kisame's face stiffened, straightened into a frown of false denial. "I have no idea what you've recalled, old senile."

"No! No! That boy who was destined to Fugaku! You trained with him! I-I saw both of you training outside of Kiri! I remember when you fought in the Chunin exams at ten, and-and… you killed your competition and stole Fugaku's-"

"Tetane… leave him. He's no purpose living in this world anymore if he is confused with the wrong people," Kisame commanded harshly, with a gruff, depressant strain in his voice, walking away to prisoners whom had offered their hands to grasp onto the free man. I walked with him, looking back in concern of this old man, shivering and twitching in his own misery and nostalgia upon seeing the man whom turned him down. I knelt onto the prison bars, and he looked up at me with fogged, pale yellow eyes, suddenly grabbing my cloak and pulling me towards him. I knew mentally that I had and could have the potential to kill him in one blow or at least activate the Raikugan, but I wanted to hear from him, despite his senile insanity.

"Golden eyes… I haven't seen those since… twenty years ago… look at you! So this is how you grew up to be! I knew someday you'd some to save us!"

Despite almost coughing from the foulest breath I've ever smelt, I cringed, but looked upon him in confusion, his toothless smile priceless from his internal heart. He's seen me before. "You're from Kirigakure then. Tell me then, who was this Fugaku you were-"

"Tetane. Come. Leave that one for dead."

Kisame's commands sunk and I got up fully onto my knees, flashing my eyes last time on the dying elder, shivering more and more as I backed away from him. "Keep your heart in heaven, old man," I pressed, and his grip upon the iron crumbled and his strength faded as he looked blankly on the ground, knowing finally that there was no hero or heroine to save his withering life. I regret not releasing him, but there are younger lives to be saved. As we exited out finally and walked in the silence of the Sound Village, quiet without the snake sannin's presence to guide them, I taped paper bombs everywhere to the cells and walls of the dungeons and chambers of Orochimaru… even his decapitated body himself. I knew reason not to bury him properly; he was not worthy of any funeral. I set light to a fuse, and we walked out from a clear distance, knowing that the explosion would come any minute.

I thought of many events and actions as we walked silently together, black cloaks and red clouds against the colors of the night. Eyes down, I pictured the prisoners whom I had helped, but more so, the people still locked in the asylum, ready to face death in an instant. I imagined the insane, rocking themselves to find, in mentality, a much safer place than there. I recall religious sayings being murmured in the silence, and that old man from Kirigakure, probably waiting for his death in seconds flat. Then I turned to Kisame, who kept looking at the stars and the moon that hung in half form. That old man knew him as a kid… and that my own partner trained with a Fugaku. I remember hearing that exact name before from Zetsu from the Akatsuki meeting in which I was inaugurated into. I needed to ask.

"Kisame."

Nothing was in response, his head twisted to the glow of the moonrise.

"Master."

That firmly caught his attention. "Tetane. What?"

"The old man mentioned a man by the name of Fugaku. Are you associated with him in anyway?"

Silence and chills hung in the late October air. His shadow covered his eyes, and his mouth twisted downwards in an unnatural way, fists tightened and twitched. "Now that you found out, I guess I have no choice. Fugaku was my master, my teacher, and the one… who brought that curse mark upon me when I about five years old at the very least."

I walked in question, but then in a mental explosion of shock. "Did you just mutter the age of five? That man was so desperate to give that poison to your chakra stream at age five?" I could see it clear as daybreak. I saw Kisame, as a young kid, in my position, his outlines casting, not entirely seeing his face. Imagining a Kisame Hoshigaki without the shark-like features could not even be dreamed. Then, an ominous tall and dark shadow would overcome his smaller body, and his lightly toned screams could only be heard throughout the incessant echoes of the cave. I shivered in nostalgia and my pain… but most affectively, the past when my life had headed towards the worst with this organization.

He stiffened still in painful memories, ones that could pierce your heart, and lifted his hand to feel the dents on his skin, looking down in depressant. "I've been like this since I was a little kid. It's been harder on me, but I kinda shook it off-" He attempted a smile of optimism, but Kisame quickly gave in and breathed a heavy dose of atmosphere.

My mind was more out of the question. "But to stand that pain and push at that age? I'm surprised you're not dead! What was that deluded, self-absorbed, pitiful man thinking at the time-"

"Now you think badly of the people that hurt me?" He burst into laughter, but calmed in sighs. "Well, he had the same exact disease you have. He had no time to wait, so he chose the kid with the most potential of the qualifying age group. The best swordsmen of that group would be trained by him from the Shinobi from Kiri, but Fugaku-sensei never mentioned the hilarious fact that a lifetime of agony and outcast would come to the winner. Being immature and boastful, I wanted to prove my family rights, and I won with a single blade in my hand against all the other students in a fighting tournament. I remember Fugaku's toothy smile, and that way he grasped Samehada in his hands, like it was his scepter to the lord's throne. His eyes caught on mine… and he knew. Oh, god, did he know." His laughs were erratic; unfamiliar, almost distant.

"He made my life a living hell," he proceeded, walking like he had this huge burden on his shoulders instead of Samehada wrapped upon his back, "Heh. I couldn't stand him that first time I saw him with my own two eyes, when I won. I regret winning. But he made me stronger, faster, more intelligent. Too much so…" he stopped scripting his dialogue and looked into the moon, his face now opposite towards mine. "Having to call him 'master' everyday… it sickened me. I hated his ways. I hated Kiri's ways."

"So is that the ideal reason you left?"

Kisame narrowed his eyebrows and looked to me, then continued to stare straight. "Somewhat. But entirely… no."

I didn't even bother to ask for the full response of my question. We continued to walk casually, and still heard continuous screams throughout. But what was really going through my mentality was one question that would affect me and my goals.

"Is he still alive?"

Kisame's coldness seemed to decrease the temperature outside twenty degrees. "No."

At that same time after he spoke, the paper bombs had reached their limitations on time. Each light ignited and burst from a mile away, and altogether created fire and destruction from what was now called literal hell. I turned my neck painfully to that sad place in which I was held prisoner for half of my living life. Then screams also evaporated from the air, thousands upon thousands. But the feeling that I loathed the most was the lack of emotion and sadness. I truly didn't care… I wanted that place destroyed immediately. Kisame's sharp smile returned to him as the shadows across my face grew.

"Heh. Look at that. Home sweet home, huh, Tetane?"

I gave no response as I walked ahead, head to the leaves fallen on the ground, tears glistening from the moon shining above me, joining in on my funeral march for all of the dead and my proof of memory.

. . .

Naruto's Point of View:

"WHAT?"

Granny Tsunade jumped out of her seat in huge rage, eyes widened and outraged by it all. I know it was hard to say, from Kakashi-sensei's mouth, but it tore us all as well.

"You know what I said, Tsunade-sama. I really don't want to find myself saying it again."

The Hokage's mouth quivered from the burden of it all. "First Sasuke then Tetane… I'm going to be shit when the elders are done with me… and I frankly don't blame them for it. These are crazy times, that's all I have to say. Crazy times." She leaned back in her chair, rubbing her palms onto her temples slowly. "You know, this is all my fault. Losing her. Everything is my fault ever since I got in this Hokage stuff."

"NOW WHY THE HELL WOULD YOU SAY THAT?"

Granny finally lifted her head to my words, and believe it, she had a reason. "Because I was the one who dismissed her. I never told any of you that I was the one who gave her permission to go hunt down this Akatsuki, and I'm really the one who needs to be blamed."

No sound was heard, or made. I couldn't get my brain to understand the words that were muttered. Granny wouldn't let Tetane do something so reckless as to lose all of those ANBU and her freedom. She's not like that to let my big sis go and hunt down Shark Face like that. Sakura-chan, though, was the first to argue against her case. "Master, there's no way…"

"Oh yes there is," she argued, crinkling the documents of Tetane's files in her fists, trembling in her pitiful disgrace, "I'm the one who risked all the cards again… and this time, I lost big time. It wasn't like betting for your money, it was much more than that and I failed. Tetane is of the Senju decent, and I can't let another one slip. Not again." She coughed lightly, rubbing her nose gently, and began.

"You see, I was drinking that night, and Shizune was there to warn me about my judgment. 'Screw you' I said, and she left, not knowing that Tetane entered the room in confusion once Shizune opened the door and left in another one of her panic attacks. So she came in, was in full ANBU wear, and looked at me square in the eyes. 'I need to leave the village for emergency' she protested. Well, I wasn't fully ready to accept that yet. Some of the drinking kinda got me, but I had reason, and my brain was still there. She threatened me. A number of times. She said that the Raikugan would be used if I didn't let her go… and I did…" Granny covered her face to her hands and sighed. Then she got up from breathing and looked through Tetane's pictures, writing the word 'Akatsuki' next to her, along with 'S-Rank'. I saw Tetane's smiling face, not sarcastic, but nice, and with her hair down and the picture angle just right. I missed her, dattebayo.

"So who captured her? I want to know everything so that we can get this search over with, find the hideout, and bring that man's head back to Konaha!" Granny's fists almost demolished the third wooden table brought in this week. She twitched in anger, and I answered right away.

"YA MEAN SHARK FACE?"

"Yes, yes, Naruto, we got it. Tsunade-sama, the man is Kisame Hoshigaki."

Granny twitched again. "The swordsman from Kirigakure?" She looked down to scatter through files, but then found the bingo book in the bottom pile. She flipped through all of the pages, and licked her red, manicured finger and stuck it on the page. "Yep. I've seen his face… Akatsuki, S-Rank, Itachi Uchiha's partner, betrayer of Kiri to overthrow the government, yadda yadda… and he was serving under the Third Mizukage. That's interesting, I remember him being under someone's influence in that time… but that's irrelevant right now. We have our man."

I wanted to see this clearly. I saw him only once, but I remembered him well. "I want to see that, dattebayo. I want to see the man who captured and hurt my sis," I murmured in proof and purpose, and Granny hesitated, turning to Kakashi-sensei, who nodded in response after a few moments musing. Granny Tsunade handed me the book with the pages flipped to Shark Face, and I analyzed everything about him.

There was the shark face, alright, smiling, freaking laughing, like he was mocking me for being too late to save Tetane-nii-chan. I looked deeply on the stats. Monster chakra… Tailless Tailed Beast… does that even make any sense? Highly trained in nin-jutsu, and tai-jutsu, sucks at gen-jutsu… but the thing is… how did he get past Tetane's gen-jutsu and Raikugan? She sure got me plenty of times with it. But this man DEFEATED her, and that Raikugan. But how? It can't be the chakra. Maybe, maybe that sword that he had played a big deal, dattebayo…

"This Kisame dude," I muttered, handing the book back to Granny in thought, "He had that sword… he called it Samehada…Shark Skin, dattebayo. He threatened to cut off my legs with that thing."

"And when they 'visited' two or three years ago," Kakashi-sensei added, harshly and with a bit of a growl under his breath, "I stopped by to help, and there he was with Itachi. Tetane almost got captured by them that day too, I might add. Itachi knocked her out, and she carried that grudge along with her hatred for Uchiha's."

Granny Tsunade got up from her seat, leaning against her desk. "Then we need a plan. I'll move more Shinobi outside of the area and find anyone related to Akatsuki to bring into interrogation. We need all that we can to get her back. Now, where are Izumo and Kotestu? I need them to send the report!"

We all nodded and left, but I still had this upset feeling set in my stomach, dattebayo. Something that couldn't be held back, even with the restraint of the Nine-Tail's chakra.

"Naruto, it's going to be alright. She's alive, we know that," Sakura-chan smiled falsely, patting my back in sympathy, "She's my friend, too."

I looked down, the sickening feeling getting worse. "I know, dattebayo. But I can't let this wait. I need to go out after her, wherever this hideout is. I'll rip through the gates and prison bars to find her, and wipe out any member there is. Especially Shark Face. He owes me a fight!"

"Naruto-"

"I DON'T WANT THE SAME THING TO HAPPEN TO TETANE LIKE WITH SASUKE!"

Sakura-chan's eyes widened, and for a moment, she produced tears like a waterfall. Looking humiliated, she looked down upon the ground in misery. "I can't let you go, Naruto… I can't let you get yourself killed-"

"That's bullshit! I don't care! As long as I get Tetane back, they can have this thing in me! I'm going, and there's no stopping me!" I stormed out of the hallway, and disappeared with Sakura's tears hitting the ground, and her yell coming across the hallway, calling for help to get me back.

_Sakura-chan… I'll get her back. I'll get Sasuke back. I've always promised that. And I'm starting today with no one stopping me or getting in my way._

. . .

Tetane's Point of View:

We came to the base just before the night ended, and I lay in bed, eyes never closed and shadows lurking below from the lack of sleep developed. I twisted in my covers, nothing worked. I didn't feel like using the Raikugan on my emotions and telling myself to fall under due to my heart jumping out of my ribcage, breaking when meeting the bones. I just lay in a warm bundle, looking up at the ceiling above. What was I to do now? Orochimaru was eliminated, vanquished from the earth. We told Pein, and he seemed happy for himself and congratulated us. Screw him. I found this a failure.

I got up from the caress of my sheets and sleepily walked down the halls, dressed in my Akatsuki cloak at all times. I could barely move; my muscles were sore internally and I was on a limp due to the mud clones that Orochimaru sent out to distract us. That bastard snake. He's regretting this now in hell. I smiled evilly. At least this thought put me in a better mood.

I heard a faint sound coming through the hallway, almost erratic and incessant. I came to the closest source, and it was something I regretted seeing.

There was Itachi Uchiha in his room, grasping his mouth, coughing constantly, clutching his lips in agony. Blood trickled from his fingers, and he looked at me with a flame to his inactivated eyes. He lifted his head, and through his unseeing gray thunder eyes, he unleashed the Mangekyo. I froze in place, and this feeling of comfort, and relaxant came over me as I continued to look, not resisting. My knees unlocked, and the tensions came off in my spine as every second, I became more submissive. _Shit! Get that chakra out of your system! He's trying to control you!_

My eyes followed his, but my inners resisted, and my chakra spun in the middle of my chest, all of the control chakra out of my brain and being released silently. I still acted upon this, but I was fully aware as Itachi had no idea that I had resisted. I looked into his Mangekyo, and he stood near me, satisfied. I wished to smile and call him Uchiha scum for such a week eye, but I stood still, eyelids fluttering, listening to his every command given. "Tetane. Listen to my commands. You shall forget. You shall forget everything you have seen in the past two minutes and go back to bed to regain your strength. Wake up afterwards, remembering nothing, not even this. Understood?"

I didn't know what exactly to say, but I just muttered, "Yes" blankly. I would suppose it would work. Then I walked away robotically, and Itachi, clutching his chest, went back to his empty room, coughing once more. I made my way to my dormitory, and clutched my head in desperation. What was the Uchiha trying to hide from me? That he was sick? What would that matter?

I shook myself together again, internally and externally. Hypnotism wasn't going to work on me with full chakra at hand. But I knew the basic fact that he knew that and figured that out when I had told him at the inauguration. _What was he playing at, this Uchiha?_

I walked again, attempting to avoid Itachi and his room by going to the elevator, and going down outside. I needed some air, and it was cooler outside than sweating under the sheets of my bed. I escaped to the front door, and there was Kisame, about a meter away, looking distant to the moon again, and also keeping an eye on the approaching sunset that would perform to come onto the world for us to see. He was leaning against a pedestal, Samehada off his shoulders and now cleanly wrapped.

"Have an obsession with the moon?" I snickered behind him.

His eyes glowed yellow to match the moon. He glared to see who would dare spy on him, and seeing his little partner, he laughed as well, except more airy and dry. "Well, you couldn't sleep either, I take it. After seeing that dead body on the ground that wasn't yours to take away its soul… well, it would give me nightmares too. Hell, I would want to kill the sorry bastard."

"I don't want to be reminded about his death or his presence ever again, as long as I live on this earth. But speaking of the incident and the pitiful man himself, your partner caught me seeing him."

Kisame turned completely around, mouth almost gaping open. "God, you can't do that, Tetane… Itachi-san keeps himself occupied." Then he grinned with a bright sharp smile. "If you love him that much, you could just fess up; you don't have to spy on what he's doing."

I was in outrage to what was on the shark man's mind. "I-I-I wasn't peeping! I'm no coward, either! To make events clear for you, Kisame, I was passing by and I saw Itachi-kun coughing, and he was incessant. Blood was coming from his lungs. He was cringing, holding himself together, barely. I don't think you know of this private information either, but as his partner, it is your occupation to look after him, no matter how desolate he seems."

Kisame snickered. "I've actually known that for a while. He can get irritating with his lack of words."

"But that is no reason. Anyways, continuing, he saw me. He saw me and used the Mangekyo on me, well, but I was resistant due to my fullest amount of chakra. He misjudged me, and I was fully conscious. He saw me as under his little trance, and wanted me to forget everything… I mean, how… how would he want this private? This is his health to live another day!"

"Well, that's simple to answer," the shark man mused, leaning upon the tree again, "He thinks he can recover himself. It's risky, but I believe that he can resume without that bothering him… or he'll hold it in until he gives out. Itachi-san is very private."

"I understand that, but that… disease is not his to win against," I pressed, arguing even further, "He's your ally and partner and he needs treatment…"

"Then go tell him." The words muttered were cold like the ironic winds blown to face me. He was stiff in reaction, and he knelt down again, not caring to even look upon my expression. But the infamous grin came back upon his face. "But if you get the Sharingan again, then you're toast."

"Thanks for your aid and advice, master," I scorned sarcastically, practically spitting on the ground, "I gratefully appreciate your concern!" I walked away with fists balled beneath my cloak. Kisame didn't react to my endless stream of sarcasm, but he simply rolled his eyes and sat back to the transition of the moon to the sunrise. I would think somewhere… he would hold a morsel of respect for his diseased partner. But the life of my captor was one that was unknown to me, so I left him be.

I bound to where I would think Itachi would be at when troubled; perfecting himself with his target kunai practice in the forest. I made my way to the central area of the field, surrounded by marked oak trees and pines, and there, approaching, was Itachi Uchiha, appearing normal physically, no blood spilt upon his cloak as before and no hesitation to his own disease. He stared blankly at me with no emotion, as always, insultingly bored. "Tetane… I thought you were asleep. I would think that the struggle with Orochimaru would be tiring."

"Don't play with me, Uchiha scum," I spat, trying not to fully concentrate my luring eyes onto his, yearning for a way out of this reality, "I resisted that little gen-jutsu of yours with my full chakra at hand. I never forget what I see, Uchiha, and what I saw was of great concern to me… but that should be more a concern to yourself."

He sighed heavily. "I knew. Everything… about your little act. I'm not clueless, Tetane, as you clearly are making yourself that way. My Sharingan has many capabilities, in which one of them is to see the chakra influenced upon others. I saw your gratuitous amount of chakra boiling regularly in your system, and by the way that you conjured up a blank tone, a victim would have said nothing and walked to obey their orders. And also to add, your eyes change when controlled. From that golden to my Mangekyo, like with animals. Don't be so naive when you've already known this."

"You're ahead of the gen-jutsu game, aren't you?" I questioned, growling, internally shocked about his findings about my false imprisonment act.

He never even twitched his lips to the north despite of my stupidity and forgetfulness. "I'm more experienced, if that's what you meant… then yes."

I shook myself from his insulting words that pierced my pressure like a knife. I wanted so much to tell him everything about my heart, how my feelings for Deidara cannot come into comparison for him, and for his handsome face, his cool, and his unlimited power that I wanted so much to obtain from learning from him. But at the same time, well, I wanted to ring his neck, suffocate him until his defenseless soul left his dead body. I loathed his clan and eye, the fact that he treated my emotions like trash thrown helplessly on the ground, and his attitude towards me. I sighed impatiently and nervously. My stomach stirred with sickness as I desired too much to reveal my true intentions.

"I'm concerned about this, whether or not you seem to care."

"Hm." There came the Uchiha sigh of ignorance. How arrogant.

"This is your life, not mine, Uchiha."

He stood with seriousness in his inactivated, tried looking eyes. "Then why do you care?"

My heart knocked vigorously onto my ribcage, my inners becoming sick and my tongue never moving to help form the simplest of words. All from nervousness and being caught off guard, yet again, by Itachi, whom I held a vengeance; but held affections. Vengeance… or affections? Why do I care… why do I care… because my heart cannot hold together unless I open my heart out to you, Itachi Uchiha, King of the Sharingan, the true ultimate gen-jutsu artist of the Hidden Leaf, not me, but him. I lifted my nervous spirits from the pressure under my lungs and let the cooling and relaxant atmosphere take over my words, muttered carelessly from my quivering lips.

"Because… I never wanted you to disappear from my life, and your affect upon it… I care deeply for you, Itachi-kun, despite all of the swears I have cussed for the sake of the Uchiha and your eye, and your attitude and your hidden self-confidence. I… I really want to speak to say that I want you alive so that my heart regains that happiness."

The man in front of me had nothing in particular to say immediately after my response. But his posture rested upon a tree, his hand half way out of his cloak. He frowned in my words. "Love is an emotion. And I find love to be pointless. Emotions serve no purpose in life, and should be abandoned immediately. You cannot survive living a heavy heart. You'll get killed in hopeless dreams, wasted away to prove yourself."

The tears overcame, but I held my guard, tightening my grip onto myself, balled into fists of white and my guts clenching together. "You can't be completely heartless. No one is."

"I am. Always."

The simple truth came soaring out of my vocal chords unconsciously, denying my words, the tears rolling down my cheeks silently like streams. "Did you lose yourself when you left your brother?"

The seriousness in his dark voice turned into a deep anger and detest for the subject matter. Though, as I noted, he was internally shocked by my question. "… what does little Sasuke have to do with this? This is about love, not revenge, in which he feeds until he tries to defeat me and avenge the clan we grew up into. Of course, that will not commence. He's a fool."

I was almost screaming out my thoughts now. "Because you didn't kill him in cold blood! You left him… I knew… I knew all this time that you cared for your younger brother… and that your heart is not to me, but to Sasuke. I love you, and you love him… I guess that's how it's going to go." I paused, trying to assume one of my sarcastic smiles to lift up his spirits. "I knew no one could be completely heartless."

The moments passed as my tears dropped upon the dew and grass, my time still complacent. I truly wanted his story, the way it was meant to be told by the murderer himself, by his present emotions. I dreaded the truth of his affections. My heart soared for him, the thought of being with him, relating to the situations we both were under, the talent we both had for gen-jutsu, and maybe the peace between the Namikaze/Senju clan and the Uchiha. I really wanted friendship and love. Itachi, however, thought that was pure and utter fantasy. He blinked at me with unseeing eyes that were glassy and lifeless, narrowing his eyebrows in never ending depression.

"Look into my eyes, Tetane Namikaze."

I stifled at his words with hesitance, my tears only moving from the silence of it all. "What-"

"-Look at what I truly see, what was my cause for everything I had once loved. It shall explain that a heartless man only remains heartless, and that purposes cannot be undone."

I continued to stare blankly, confused, but once I had wrapped my pitiful mind around it, my brain expanded. _He's going to show me the massacre of the Uchiha clan and the origin of revenge of his younger brother. _I remember encountering Itachi and Kisame for a second time when I was a younger teenager, trying to protect my brother from getting taken away when we had stopped by an old inn, trying to look for Tsunade-sama. I recall the rage and hatred ushering out from Sasuke, and the cruel torture he had gone through to see it all happen again in his eyes, witnessing his parents getting stricken dead over and over. I almost cried for him that day, but I was protecting Naruto from anything else possible, and leading Sasuke to his compete failure of revenge. I regretting not stepping in front of him and not being caught in that gen-jutsu instead of him; for I would have no emotional impact, in fact, I would enjoy it more than anyone else in the room. The man in front of me had wiped out the Uchiha clan, preceding the enemy as victorious. But the lives of those innocent people being wasted made me sick, no matter from what side. That was what my heart told me. But I want to see it all. I desired to see Itachi's face of emotion afterwards. I wanted to see a heart behind the killer, to prove that there was still a chance for love for us.

"I wish to see the murder of your clan, if that was your intention."

Itachi looked to the side, coming to me in gentle steps, glancing at the surroundings around him. Then, he glanced at me directly, eyes narrowed, actually bleeding from overuse. _That poor man. He has a burden the size of the earth upon his shoulders._

But the eyes were of the shape and colors of the level Sharingan that I held against the most, whom had grabbed onto my chakra-less mentality and controlled me, me, the gen-jutsu kunoichi of the Hidden Leaf. They grabbed me again, pulling me into his nightmare, into Sasuke's ultimate cause of revenge and hatred for every living thing. I zoned into his universe, spinning into nightmare upon nightmare, the shadows of memories twisting me around, bathing me in darkness. But I landed myself into a street corner, decorated with the symbol of the Uchiha clan all around the living quarters buildings. This is what I would term as 'enemy territory' for amusement, but I remained serious throughout the background setting. And there, running in the corner, was the younger, childish version of Sasuke Uchiha, laughing and smiling.

He was no more than seven, guessing, and light shone in his darker eyes. In contrasting colors, I found the brightness of joy and love. I don't think I ever saw that in Sasuke's eyes. A positive smile, full of such promising youth. That was never upon that youngest brother's expression when I saw him.

And behind him, running to catch him in his arms was the twelve year old version of Itachi Uchiha, whom was grinning as well, finally catching up with Sasuke and grabbing him playfully with his arms, with Sasuke's laughter incessantly echoing among the crowded, youthful, and energetic streets of his clan members. Both, I could tell, were of connection. They bonded as brothers.

"Nii-san! That took you longer than it did last time!" Sasuke called, trying to get his brother's arms off of him. Itachi grinned silently and let go with an infamous 'hm' to defy.

"Because I can't catch up with you anymore… I'm getting older than dad." He stiffened, pretending with mimicry that he was in back pain, hobbling with every step and placing his hand upon the 'hump' that he was burdening. Little Sasuke smiled and giggled with enthusiasm as Itachi lifted his cheekbones in success that he caught him laughing. I had to be honest; I never knew Itachi could be anything but serious.

But then, as still a part of the joke, Sasuke hopped onto Itachi's hump of a back, and Itachi smirked while his little brother held onto his neck and shoulders. "How's that, 'dad'? Feeling better?"

Itachi sniffled and sank his voice deeper to match his father's. "Gr… get off! I have better things to do!"

The two laughed hysterically with the sun on their backs, and the bigger of the two decided to carry Sasuke, holding tightly onto his legs, feeling the connection of brotherhood between them as Itachi walked the streets, with all of his relatives smiling innocently and waving, complementing on the man who would soon eliminate each and every one of them. They knew nothing.

"Look it's Fugaku's children!"

What a proud and oblivious father. I smirked cruelly to myself as I saw the scene unfold.

"That Itachi-kun, he's got the best chance at being the best out of everyone."

The crowd of relatives had seen the boys laugh and smile as they grew to one another. One mother, who was carrying out the garbage to the outside of the house, had tried to address her little infant child to come and stay indoors. Another couple, middle-aged, I would have to make out, was head upon head in discomfort and sorrow as they saw their nephews play. The wife had sighed. "Look at them now, Tetsu. Soon they'll be young men. I just wish our young man had made it to that far in his life."

Tetsu caressed his weeping wife, who was trying to make up the grief with a smile. "Obito was a brave Shinobi… you should be proud of our son. He died a hero, Yamaka."

She sighed again, curling up against her husband on the swinging bench. Obito… I heard of him from Kakashi Senpai, when he was caught at the gravesite, crying; tearing up. He was his best friend at the final moments of Obito's untimely death. He repeated to himself over and over that this Obito was a true Shinobi; sacrificing himself for his comrades. That would be an Uchiha that even I would respect.

"Itachi!"

The young man with Sasuke on his back turned and saw an unknown Uchiha running to him with bright eyes and a twisted smile, waving his hand until they caught up with each other.

"Shisui-san. How was the mission?"

This so-called Shisui scratched his messy black head in avoidance. "Good, good… well, they put up a good fight, those remaining Seven Swordsmen, but we ended up obtaining the info needed. I had to use my Mangekyo at the fullest, since I got it last Tuesday. That swordsmen put of a fight, but he never got past my eye. No one has fully resisted… yet." He laughed hardly, and Itachi grinned lightly as Sasuke looked at his brother's friend in wonder. Itachi kept smiling. "Shisui, my friend, I don't think I could ever see someone having as much fun as you with that power."

"It's great!" He laughed sarcastically. I started to like this man… he reminded me of myself. "But the interrogation squad wants to use me for interrogation on some prisoners and such… I don't trust anyone outside of the Uchiha's police force. Uncle's great."

"Yep, Father's great." The tone of Itachi's voice sounded almost grimly sarcastic.

Shisui ruffled Sasuke's hair as he walked to the village with a swagger, feeling proud of himself. "Well, Old Grandpa Hokage's gunna bust my ass if I don't get back to the center of town. Bye Itachi, Sasuke… oh! And speaking of busting ass… how's Aimi-"

"Bye Shisui." Itachi walked, feeling flustered as Sasuke sung: "Nii-san has a girlfriend! Nii-san has a girlfriend!"

Itachi sighed to himself as his burden was metaphorically getting too heavy. Though, begging to differ, he looked at Sasuke with a proud light in his eyes as he walked to the path of his household…

. . .

Another flashback had me spinning mentally until the scene changed into the nighttime, with Itachi Uchiha in full ANBU uniform, waiting at the side of the bridge, looking solemn; somber, leaning against the side of the bridge. His eyes were not as bright as before, they were almost matching the night sky with melancholy. He waited, waited for the opportunity until the moon came up across the mountains of Konaha, where he looked back to see a familiar face in the full moonlight, full of concern and suspicion.

"Itachi…"

A cold chill ran though the atmosphere as Itachi faced Shisui with a hard glare, looking tired and weary. Shisui took a few steps back, startled by his best friend's presence and attitude towards his arrival. "Itachi… you don't want to hear this. It's god awful."

Itachi sighed, pulling out a kunai out of one hand, throwing it blankly, and then scratching the side of Shisui's apparel, blood squirting from contact of skin as soon as the kunai hit the prime target of the tree. Terrified but serious on the mentality of his friend, Shisui's red glowing eyes activated upon the nighttime. Itachi, whom had noticed the effect taking place, had sighed again. "Put down that toy."

"What the hell happened to you?" Shisui spat out, yelling into the air, to whom his friend was unemotional, "You developed depression I believe three weeks ago… all of the Uchiha elders noticed too… what's going on in your head?"

The wind sufficed, and Itachi appeared by the sounds of the breeze behind Shisui, holding his kunai, judging his actions on where to spill blood on the point of his neck. Another replica of Itachi Uchiha stood on the center of the bridge, holding another kunai to stab. Shisui, whom I had developed a liking for and rooted for, had struggled behind Itachi's strength and gaze. Itachi approached as the other pinpointed his target upon vulnerable flesh. His best friend's eyes widened in horror and despair. "You killed Aimi. It's not even a question in my mind anymore."

A silence remained in the wind, but then blew away as Itachi's swaying voice entered though the upcoming breeze.

"I obtained my third tomoe at twelve, developing my full Sharingan, now having the ability to control my opponent through gen-jutsu and eye contact. You, however, have that Mangekyo. To control the mind of an opponent or victim without them knowing. That's a gift for the blessed. But to destroy that gift by showing off? That's week and immature, my friend. But to hide your talent from even our own clan… that's what makes it the limit of do or die."

The swish of the heaven's eye was activated from Itachi, and Shisui's consciousness was called for no more, but replaced by Itachi's subjective. "Now you will die, Shisui. You were a good friend, but I need an even better eye."

Shisui had nodded, and as soon as possible, the clone of Itachi's had gone and Shisui was left for himself to carry the bidding from his traitor and murderer. As soon as Shisui the Body Flicker had launched his body off of the bridge like a puppet off of his strings and plunged into the chill of the murky night water, his heart seized to pound freely anymore.

Itachi saw his old friend's heart fade and stop beating, he laughed.

Laughed from the success of the Mangekyo Sharingan, now burning proudly in his eyes.

. . .

"I'm tired of the duties… there is no future for the Uchiha… and for me… I cannot walk 'the path' any longer." Itachi crumpled the written paper in his hand as soon reading it, all the Uchiha elders staring with a false sympathy for the young man whom had secretly plotted this out.

"Shisui of the Mirage," a white haired male exclaimed darkly, "he was a Shinobi who would do anything for the Uchiha. Any mission, anytime to serve his clan. I highly doubt that he could have written this. A man like him would never have committed this action… and die as a result."

I already knew that from the abilities of the Sharingan that Itachi had mentally copied Shisui's writing style and handwriting. I knew, and I believe the elders knew the suspicions as well. No one as brave-hearted as Shisui could have made that script out.

Fugaku Uchiha stepped into this investigation. "We have a traitor in our mist. If Shisui's death was not suicidal, as my son doesn't agree with, then something must be done. We need secured forces amongst the Uchiha area."

"Father," Itachi interrupted, trying his best to look innocent in front of the elders, displaying a passable expression of bravado and depression, due to the 'loss' of his best friend, "Appearances and copyright are not the factor… he killed himself. There's no appreciation that there is a murderer in our clan. We Uchiha's are of pride, not power."

The murmurings in the room were continuous, until a split voice rang above all others. "There was also a disturbance of chakra in his body, as seen by me. That boy was under, maybe, his own gen-jutsu."

Voices of argument erupted the setting as little eight year old Sasuke took steps toward his older brother, who sat and listened to his private melody of perfection, or the arguments that caused one Uchiha to disagree with another, creating total chaos in the court room. "Nii-san!"

"Sasuke… who sent you here? This isn't the best time."

Clueless Sasuke beamed at his brother, who was in desperation. "Mother wanted me to ask you to help with my shuriken practice!" I laughed. Such a sad and hopeful smile.

Itachi sighed, pressing his fingers to his temples, and then tapped his brother by his forehead with two fingers, trying to impersonate a person filled with caring thoughts. "Not right now, Sasuke."

"Itachi! Please stand for the court."

The Uchiha rose with lethargy, leaning against the desk in depression, gripping Shisui's false suicidal goodbye. The elder with the white hair sharply noticed this action with small inky eyes, and then proceeded to read from the script. "Hm. You planned to testify and to have everyone believe in this meeting room that Shisui-san's death was of suicide. Why would you think that, when he was clearly under a gen-jutsu when performing this notorious action?"

The entire gaze of the court rested on Itachi, and Sasuke, still naïve as ever, still tugged on Nii-san's robe. "Not now, Sasuke…" The little Uchiha had sighed, defeated by tongue, and left with a pout out of the courtroom, grabbing Fugaku's annoyed attention. Itachi gave a little cough to captivate the audience of officials and elders. "Shisui… I thought of him as a comrade, a true hero, and a great friend. He was also grown out of suspicions of the Uchiha clan as a whole. He never fully trusted the organization and the police force, and rested on me to question your tactics. But he and I took our separate ways when I had replied with the correct answer of no. His fury rose. He was proud of the Mangekyo Sharingan he was given, and used it without question, controlling some of you without notice, if I had known ahead of time. Then, he wanted his revenge upon my betrayal. The girl that I held affection for is now dead, killed by a sliced neck. And that, I must say, was performed by the Body Flicker himself."

Cries of outrage sounded from the entire audience whom Itachi had enthralled with his powerful and believable story of woe. Fugaku, however, remained silent and sitting in his seat with narrowed eyes at his son's performance.

"What about the gen-jutsu?" cried an old woman on the corner of the spherical room.

Itachi's tone became more somber. "I found him a day later after the murder over the bridge at moonlight. He was contemplating to himself, his conscious not entirely sure of the action he took. He apologized for his semi-insane behavior and my girlfriend's death, but I pinned him down verbally with the question of suspicion coming into mind. He laughed with no common knowledge, and without warning, he released his Mangekyo, trying to control my mind secretly with his whims. I surprisingly had never been been touched with the ocular jutsu from his misuse, and caught him off guard with my resistance. However…" the gullible group leaned into the suspense of it all, "… he begged for a way out. Screamed. So he looked straight into the river… and reflected his Mangekyo on himself, wishing for death. So he did. I wanted so desperately to save him… but he fell… he drowned himself." A harshness sounded from the Uchiha at the end. "There's no better way of explaining this, but it's difficult to say." A cough stifled its way out of Itachi's system, and the elders at the meet sighs and nodded.

"Then we declare that Shisui Uchiha was killed by suicidal offenses."

That lucky bastard and his stories. He would have been dead if I was on the jury.

Fugaku, who was the most silent out of all, stared at his son with anger. Like he knew that something was wrong with the plot. I raised an eyebrow with a sarcastic smile, but it pained me to see the death of someone as Shisui Uchiha go to waste, and his reputation towards the clan destroyed by a lie of indecency. Some coward and liar like Itachi would have to die a painful death if the universe were to correct his fate.

Itachi met his father's eyes, and he was caught in his serious glare. That was the last I saw of them both together, and the memories collided into the future, probably about three days after the meeting to discuss Shisui's death and purpose.

. . .

"MOMMY!"

I heard a slash of a sword make contact with a vulnerable child's flesh. A body dropped to the ground without a chance for his mother to protect him and finally hold him. Red scarlet spewed from the fatal wound of a six year old who, to this day, would have been a Genin and a proud Shinobi. A cry was heard, one of agony and piercing through the night. The mother spotted her son on the ground, no voice to be heard from the now tiny body. "No… no… Hashi... HASHI!"

But never did the mother know about the shadows that the moon and the night seemed to cast upon the house. The murderer slit the mother's throat, and her screams faltered to nothing. Darkness, lying with the body of her son, cold and red.

Itachi Uchiha walked out silently with an expression of darkness, descending onto the family. The father he had killed a few minutes ago, walking on the street from a jonin mission. The murderer sighed, and disappeared in the night as the scene took place from his eyes.

He walked along the streets of his clan that had been layered with their own blood. Bodies covered a diameter of the distance Itachi needed to walk over; he knew he had already knocked out his father and mother unconscious with his Mangekyo Sharingan. It was finally time to deal with them before little naïve Sasuke came home without a clue in the world to see what his venomous-blooded brother had permanently done.

His pushed more bodies out of the way with the toe of his foot, causing them to roll onto the dusty ground with open and shocked eyes of terror. My heart leapt for each innocent life that was brutally destroyed and left to rot. The taste in my mouth was bitter, and yet, so was the situation that I was partaking and watching. He walked casually through the door, seeing his two parents together, tied against each other to die as husband and wife. Fugaku, however, was conscious to see his son approaching them with a greed hidden within his new Mangekyo and an unemotional expression hidden within part of the shadows. Fugaku's eyes widened.

"Itachi…"

The son held no response to seeing his dad speak. His own father, whom he was a part of, and even a part of his heart was in complete denial that his most talented son and the pride of the Uchiha clan was raising his risk at death. Then, not as expected, the father narrowed his eyes again and slumped his neck to the ground, sighing.

"I knew you'd come and do this. I just have to accept it. You think that just because you'd kill us all means that the Clan's name will die? I can tell you this…. that you'll fall worse than anyone here you've killed. Do you know the burden you're going to have to carry for yourself? I knew from the start, the look in your eyes… you've got your mother's eyes… that you killed Aimi and Shisui and decided to remain close to the elders. That's not a strategy you would have overtaken yourself. Madara would have devised this action…"

A spark went off in my head as my emotions seized. _Madara? Who the hell…?_

Itachi's eyes widened automatically as his father's beliefs rolled on to his hypothesis.

"… and I know your loyalties are not with your own family, which breaks my heart. I already know I'm going to die soon. And so will your mother. But don't you have any type of pity once so ever?"

Fugaku's harsh breathing faded as he grew impatient and furious, wanting his formidable question answered. Itachi sighed.

"Father… the clan is a disgrace. You never knew what my true Shinobi way was. And to tell you this… you never will." Itachi took out his sword and pointed it directly to the determined neck of Fugaku Uchiha. "I'll save you later."

"But Sasuke's too precious to kill, right?"

One furious look of the Mangekyo Sharingan had Fugaku Uchiha unconscious, slumped next to his wife, binded by rope. Itachi, his son, had grimaced slightly, clenching his fists, and then soon kicking at his father in uncontrollable rage for one blow to the head. Fugaku held no conscious response, and Itachi shook his head, holding himself and talking to his father like he could hear him with a clear head.

"You… you know NOTHING. I'm not your son, NEVER your son. How you found out about Madara, I have no clear idea, but Sasuke… you're right. I hated your ways, and I am one second closer to killing you off once my dear younger brother comes home to me contemplating. You never saw me and thought Sasuke was the better suited child… you expect nothing good out of me and my talent! That's why I want to save him… to show you that he's nothing!" He gave his father another harsh kick, but this time, in the stomach. Again, no effect was taken. He expected screaming. I thought of insanity as trying some method again and again with fail, but expecting a better result. I knew he was going mentally ill.

Itachi stiffened, but sighed again, twitching his fingers that gripped the sword like his life on the edge. "… I need to keep him alive, alive to kill who I am."

My eyes widened from this speech, and a twist of the door knob sealed little Sasuke Uchiha's fate for the rest of his living life. Itachi noted this, and hid behind the shadows.

. . .

The memories washed to dissolve into the streets of Uchiha bodies and the moon boasting it's light to the world and night sky. A scream pierced the darkness; a scream of a child in agony, fading into Konaha for the whole village to hear. Itachi leapt out of the Uchiha household with Sasuke on his trails, crying and yelling for the lives of his mother and father. If only he had eavesdropped on his father's conversation to Itachi… then that might have changed Sasuke's fate forever, and there would be no eternal rivalry. That stupid naïve Uchiha never would have gone to Orochimaru… his thought upon that disgust me, but that snake would have never been dead. I would have killed him myself. Damn, that would have saved me a whole lot of time and would have mentally and emotionally built up my success.

"Nii-san!" The youngest threw a kunai at his murderous brother, whom then deflected with his katana and continued running, running from his past memories that he wanted to forget. Sasuke sprinted for the lives that his oldest brother stole, trying so desperately to catch up and question everything, every person Itachi slaughtered. More kunai and shuriken were thrown, and Itachi played with Sasuke's handling abilities like a toy. After five minutes of constant chase-down, the youngest brother collapsed, defeated physically and emotionally torn, piece by piece, one piece of every innocent life taken away. Of course, the biggest pieces would go to Fugaku and Mikoto Uchiha.

Sweat and tears collided, and Itachi stopped in the middle of the road, surrounded by numerous corpses, looking at his pathetic little brother in superiority.

"Why…? Why did you want me alive…? You- you killed Mother and Father! And all of the clan! Why the heck am I still alive? Why would you want to spare me? I'm just a kid and a nonsense to you!"

Tears and hot cheeks were evident to Sasuke's childish face. Narrowed eyes and a grim expression shadowed Itachi's.

"You are weak. You will always be weak. Killing you wouldn't be worth it."

Of course, that wasn't the reason. But Sasuke at that age would surely believe that. "But there has to be more than that!" he complied, practically on his knees in mercy.

"You can't ever beat me. Not if you don't obtain the Mangekyo Sharingan eye. I killed Shisui to obtain mine. The killing of your own best friend."

Sasuke's mouth was gaped open with empty words, as well as his widened eyes of misunderstanding. Itachi finished, tired and successful, but sadness was evident in his heart. It had broken, leaving his brother to burden for himself. So he had a heart after all. It was all to Sasuke, nothing to spare for the grief of his younger brother whom he had taken care of so much…

"Run. Flee for life. Scream. There's nothing to hide from. You lack hatred, and you always will."

Itachi Uchiha's eyes opened to reveal his shuriken shaped Sharingan, and Sasuke's conscious faded, his eyes drooping and falling to the ground. But the part his younger brother had not yet seen were the tears arriving in Itachi's eyes, cascading onto the bloody road on which he treaded. Then he leapt, arriving finally into the darkness of the night, his heart finally shadowed by betrayal.

. . .

"And you completed the mission?"

A voice was heard in the same darkness, but nothing could be seen by my vision. Itachi only wanted me to hear and observe the small details inside the voices. This voice, however, was of cunning. It was persuasive, harsh, and to the point. This person was clearly at a state of power.

"Yes. I hope you're happy."

"…The downfall of the Uchiha Clan couldn't make me happier. Those pride-hungry bastards are dead, thanks to you. I love the smell of the blood spilt right now."

I couldn't help but immaturely agree, but his voice was stronger, thirsty for more power. Only by a few words spoken, and this man has my full attention and complete hatred.

"So Itachi… what do you plan to do with yourself now?"

Silence impacted the air and Itachi sighed to himself in response. "I heard about an organization for criminals like my kind. Akatsuki… I think I might go towards that path. Once I killed my clan, Konahagakure will want to have my head."

"Hm, sounds good," the man complied, "And Sasuke…?"

By the tone of this mysterious Shinobi, I could see that he somewhat hesitated in his speech.

"He was too weak. Always too weak. Come to think of it, he was too little the kill."

Damn Itachi Uchiha and his false words of hopefulness. The man beside him obviously doubted this, but Itachi stood still with a heavy throat and trembling fists. The man's head turned.

"I hope the lesson is learned for them. This group of betrayers are not to stand a chance anymore… unless, Itachi, you throw away your loyalties." The wind gave way, and Itachi had muttered no words, keeping to himself all the emotions that had been wasted away by his love to the right of way and of his little brother, whom was now in dire panic, spreading the news that his beloved, talented nii-san had killed the majority of the Uchiha name. Itachi couldn't care less unless his brother's heart was not beating.

"I stand tall now."

The man grunted beside him. "Good then. I've waited too many years for this."

. . .

The words had left my mind at blank, but the world cleared inside my mentality, finally being able to smell the atmosphere of the real world again, not sinking into the eyes of the murderer in front of me, the grass stilled and the wind blowing the pouring rain, which had just started. Itachi sighed, closing his eyes in a cringe. He was hurting. Inside and out.

I held… so many questions, and yet, so many had been answered. I was speechless for once.

"And now you see," Itachi had spoken, a strain upon his vocal chords like an older, more tired man, "I've never shown anyone this. Hopefully you know that I can trust you enough with this information, and if anything is told, then I will certainly not hesitate to kill you."

I wiped my head of the sweat, my palm clammy white; his eyes had sucked all of the innocence from my bloodstream. I breathed in a dose of fresh air, and complied with nodding.

He turned to leave though the mist of the rain, but he saw my shaking body and vulnerability. "Do you know why I had the audacity to show you this?"

I grinned with strain. "I wish I knew… I want the response of you saying that in exchange for this information that I would love you as you do to me… but that happens only in utopias. I'm still not sure whether to treat you as an ally or enemy."

The Uchiha glared at me with hurt eyes as the night stood still only for this moment. "I know your loyalties, Tetane Namikaze, and they are not here, no matter how much Kisame strains you to believe that. My loyalties are like yours… they do not belong here in the shadows. Mine belong to my village… I would give EVERYTHING to Konaha and the right judgment. You on the other hand… it's to the people you love. Your brother, Naruto… he's got the world on his shoulders next. But I trust you to help Sasuke, no matter what consequences there are in this world. He's falling to hatred-"

"You supported hatred to him-"

"Those were false words to emotionally help him seek his true goals. He should not follow Orochimaru's former footsteps. I want him out of the darkness. And I trust that to you to lead him in the right path."

"He's foolish, he underestimates the right-"

"YOU underestimate him," he interrupted again, coughing to see scarlet upon his pale hand, "He's not going to die in the wrong ways. Protect him. I beg of you."

I stifled. Sasuke Uchiha… I wanted nothing more than to get out everything that he caused me, but I respected and loved Itachi, his older brother, and his wishes for his better future and mine. I was torn between my wants and needs.

"…fine. But he shall not be treated with my full respect."

"I would think not," Itachi gave one small smirk, "But I'm grateful. He needs to be guided in the right direction, and you have that judgment. I trust you, Tetane."

I stammered. "Then why the hell can't you? You can't know that-"

Itachi turned completely around, glaring at his hand in disgust. "I'm dying! This is what I get for my killings, Tetane! I can't stop it, and I don't plan to either! … I plan to die soon!"

My mind couldn't comprehend. The great Itachi Uchiha, dead upon my arms, staring blankly at the sky with no future for himself. No correct way to deal with his problems except for death. Then Kisame's words came upon my brain, stabbing my memories as a cruel reminder. "_Tetane, everyone, everything, has a heart somewhere. No one's completely good, or evil. Itachi-san told me that once. But we never learn who we truly are unless on the brink of death."_

Hm. So that's what Itachi was aiming for. His past words of meaning rung deep in my head.

"… _I need to keep him alive, alive to kill who I am."_

"Listen," Itachi commented, lifting a scarlet hand to my way, "I will die soon. You will need to help him. He's my life after this one. I want him away from my path, and he will be the pride of everything I had dreamed of. Please. I thank you for your patience, and if I had the chance, I would have given you the benefit of the doubt in love. But I would be happier in death, for what I planned out. I can't for my life span and Sasuke's sake. Besides…" he turned again, "I see you with another."

The crows had started spreading apart in his gen-jutsu, but my voice was not strained from emotional impact yet. "Wait! Uchiha! So you don't love me as I deeply love you. I love you like the flowers bloom from the sun at dawn. I'm sorry that you recognize that and still reject my offer. I see your logic and fate, though, and I have to say, that you are a brave man with a heart the size of the earth, just weighing you down through everything. But, you called me and said that I was destined with another. Who might that be? Not Deidara, as you already think-"

"Deidara is young and foolish. He knows nothing, for a brat like himself," he whispered in the shadows, his body covered in his crow-like state of gen-jutsu, "When he lost to me, he took it immaturely, though he praised me in the end. He's ashamed, which leads him to his fate. He'll end up dying very soon; the Sand Village is at loss of their Kazekage, and they'll have the entire village to avenge his death. He'll come with vengeance, and die from his over ambition. I see you cleverer than that, to fall for him is unthinkable."

"Then who-"

He left, the black shadows of the crows moving into the sunrise, cascading onto the red tints of the sky. I stood in paralysis, nothing answered, nothing gained but another burden on my duties and my heart.

_Itachi Uchiha… I love you for a blatant reason. Foolish teenage fantasy. That's all it is. All you went though, all you carry upon your heart is unbearable. And now you plan to pass on for the forgiveness of your brother. All that you did… just, everything… and yet, you're still here beside me, as my partner and guide, to tell me to keep after him while you die. I can't bear it, but I'll do it for you. Anything to gain your respect. Even if I cannot be loved back, I can honor your memory._

I looked back at my hand, unfolding the fingers from my palm. There in the center was a crow's feather.

_My heart will carry for yours. Always._


	18. Reunion

**Sorry it's been forever! I've just been really busy, but this, I must say, is a kickass chappie! (At least I think so… it's also kinda funny, sad, and really intense.) :D So read and review! (I swear I'll come up with the other chapter A.S.A.P.)**

**Ja ne! **

* * *

18

I returned back when the sun fully went up, and when my brain was fully adapted to the ideas and thoughts behind Itachi Uchiha himself. It was unthinkable to believe that he would think that he was weak. That he had a heart, beating right in his chest as I think. It's not possible, but to get past all of the shame Sasuke has to offer in me protecting him, the fate that Itachi would set for him might be accomplished. I really didn't want to commit to this; Sasuke was naïve and a pain to deal with. We'll probably even get into a few fights over this, but I have faith that I'll succeed and suppress Itachi's further memory. But the part he did not tell me was of his dying fate. Was he to lay in his deathbed, relying everything on poor me? Or was he to face his brother on the bloody battlefield and die, explaining the cause? I tried to shake my headache off. This was a problem that I didn't want to get into. My solution was firmly to get the hell out of here and destroy this threat to all the villages. To stop this entirely is my goal, not Itachi's. He has nothing to do with this but to pile another duty on my tired shoulders.

I thought of the past memories of the formally happy Uchiha. He was in love. He was in love with the village and his brother, whom he couldn't let go for even a second. He had a girlfriend, which was disappointing on my part. If she could be accepted, why couldn't I? Her neck could get sliced open in a few seconds and I could fight AND resist the Mangekyo longer than she could stand, and yet she was capable of Itachi's love? It was a gut hard jealously, but I was still standing, and she lies dead. The poor girlfriend; the first brought to her knees and killed by Itachi's vengeance. I would have loved and hated to be in her position. And then I thought of Shisui, the cousin and best friend. I blinked rapidly. I felt utter sympathy for his remembrance. He was cheery, sarcastic, friendly… and had the most powerful, inducing eye of the Uchiha name. Surprisingly in comparison, it was the closest eye to my Raikugan. Except my eye had the ability to completely get rid of the conscious and put me in full control. His was more of a spying, secretive necessity. But it was a waste still, to think that his personality and those eyes were forced to be thrown in the river over the Uchiha Bridge as a thought of suicide. And Mikoto and Fugaku Uchiha… his parents. They thought of him as their former pride and joy to the name of their clan. Oh how wrong they were. Fugaku was a man of seriousness and hard determination. As being captain of the Uchiha police force, he couldn't have been harsher with his son, and yet, he would still raise suspicions about his behavior. He knew everything that was in his son's troubled eyes. And he was wasted for Sasuke's emotional tear. His death and his wife's broke Sasuke, and Itachi's goals for him couldn't have gotten anymore heart wearing.

I walked down Amegakure in the regular condition of scattered rain and grey skies, the city lights dim and the buildings in need of improving structure. I was the sole person out here today, and was surprised not to see Pein in his usual throne on the tallest tower of them all, looking upon the whole village as toy size, a little build to his upcoming kingdom. I respected him and held neutral feeling, but I knew I would have to kill him in the end. After all, he did start the basis for the organization that ruined mine and many people's lives. All those poor Jinchuuriki that did not survive… Gaara…. I had heard they had recovered his body. Hopefully he had gotten a funeral deserved for a king.

"Oh yeah! Gonna catch a jincuurriki!"

And speaking of royalty, here comes the official royal pain.

Emerging out of the mist and fog of the rain were Tobi and Deidara, both with traveling hats upon their heads, looking upon the road ahead of the city of Amegakure. I peaked at the two and their cloaks… oh. Tobi was made a member. This only spells disaster from here on out, which might be a pleasure on my entire alliance mission.

Deidara's voice was small behind the rain. "Tetane…?"

"TETANE-SAMA!"

Someone else's was not, however. The orange masked man ran right into me and my whole, running me to the ground in foolish excitement. I was in frustration; I wanted this immature child off of me at once.

"TOBI'S SO GLAD TO SEE YOU, TETANE-SAMA!"

"Gmph! Ohff! Mhhh…"

"Oh, Tobi's sorry, what was that?" Such insolence from a man with need of responsibility for his own actions. He stood upon my body, blinked behind his mask, and I swear, I was so close to losing it right on the spot. And then I realized… he was grabbing one of my breasts by pure accident by the way he was spattered upon me.

Then… my temper rose to the fullest while Deidara's was the same of his new partner inappropriately touching his said girlfriend. My face couldn't have gotten redder.

"YOU… YOU FUCKING BRAT! GET OFF ME!"

Tobi got the message and ran for the hills of Ame while I pulled up one of my sleeves angrily, marching with wide Raikugan eyes and all weapons out and ready. Deidara was fuming behind the scenes, but left the fight for me to handle, besides, being his partner is tiring enough.

Tobi's feet were not even touching the ground at the pace he was running away from me.

"TET-TETANE-SAMA! TOBI'S SORRY!"

"THAT'S NOT ENOUGH TO COVER THE APPOLOGY, PERVERT! NOW LOOK ME IN THE EYES!"

He disappeared into the woods, and my fury was on its boiling point. I sprinted to catch up with him, fist up to physically cause harm to him personally. "GET BACK HERE!"

"AHHHHH! NO, DON'T KILL ME!"

I finally caught up to him and he was cornered in between two giant oaks, backing up against the wood for protection, cringing with alarm while my face glowed against the shiny cracks of his mask. He kept his hands in front of his face, and even put his palm upon his eyehole when I wanted to look him in the eye. I lifted a leg to kick him continuously, but I thought…. was it really as mature to seek up revenge on such a childish thing?

Tobi saw my foot go down and sighed with a verbal 'phew!'. I rolled my eyes to his annoyance, as I grabbed his free hand, hoisting him up.

"Aw, thanks, Tetane-sama-!"

His speech stuttered as soon as my quick blow from my new kick had landed where his privates had been.

I had reviewed my question in my head as Tobi was in total shock, sinking into the dew as he covered his private area. Was it really as mature to seek up revenge on such a childish thing? Yes, sometimes it was necessary.

I walked back to the city to see Deidara trying to look upon the scene that happened a minute earlier. His eyes brightened when my face was in a happy scowl. "Tetane! Nice to see you, hm!" I noticed his arms immediately. Kakuzu had sworn in correctly, and vowed to stitch his arms back to their correct place. His cloak was still torn from the arms, but no bloodstains were evident. I smiled normally, but my eyes were not as bright. I remembered this morning, and the words said from Itachi.

"_Deidara is young and foolish. He knows nothing, for a brat like himself. When he lost to me, he took it immaturely, though he praised me in the end. He's ashamed, which leads him to his fate. I see you cleverer than that; to fall for him is unthinkable."_

I looked to the ground in shame as he ran to me in his little utopian bliss of seeing the one that loved him back. But I was starting to doubt this. I debated this. I saw Deidara as a good and loyal friend, but too much in his little fantasy world, feeling unrealistic about this relationship as I stand there being the dominant lover, but the heart crossed in between either loving him or despising him for some errors he had made in my perspective. My relationship with Itachi, however, is unfortunately unrealistic. I fell for him but he never had any intentions. The heart can sometimes lead to demise, and a new task at hand, for example, protecting naïve little Sasuke from harm after Itachi dies. Oh, irony.

"Hey! You finally got away from him, hm!"

And here comes more of it. We met, and he leaned in to kiss on the lips, but I was not intending to do so. He stepped back in a blush as always, and scratched his head with those new arms of his. I might as well start conversation.

"So you have gotten your arms reattached."

Deidara looked in confusion, but laughed strongly, inspecting them, seeing his hand-mouths and their ability to open and close their teeth. "Oh yeah! Ha, Kakuzu got them back on, hm. Now I can create even better art. No more ripping flesh from Kakashi Hatake or bones being crushed by that Jinchuuriki, hm. Even better to show off my art!" He stuck one fist into his clay pouch with an urge of excitement and inspected his hands soon afterwards. They chewed up the leftover white clay and spat a completed shape out. He smirked ambitiously and revealed a rose within his little creation.

"For you, hm. You're beautiful on the outside, but yet…" he held out his free hand, creating a jutsu sign to reveal his chakra style. He simply flipped his rose in the air, spinning gracefully through all of the morning mist, and with a light crack, the petals propelled down to make contact with the grass and a burst of pattered flame came through the middle when released. After the miniature fireworks, a smaller bird sprang to touch the sky above, then burst into a multitude of colors from the end of its tail up. Deidara saw my look of amusement. "… You're amazing and an inspiration on the inside."

I smiled to him, but a softer expression sunk into my face, not too meaningful. "Deidara, you're a great friend. Don't let me ever forget that."

"I'll be there for you always, hm. Besides, I missed you! How was the mission?"

Oh shit. I remembered the vast words and rumors that Deidara had despised Orochimaru, and had wanted him to be the murderer of the Snake Sannin. _Sasuke beat you to it, Deidara. And he beat me to it as well._ I swallowed unintentionally, and Deidara noticed this little action of nervousness.

"What?"

I couldn't keep myself verbally. "Orochimaru is dead." My head lowered in disappointment and bitterness as I bit my lips, cringing. Deidara raised his, and I looked up through my fingers resting on my face. "Goddamn it…" He trembled, but breathed out in attempt to relax. His robin blue eyes shone, but dimmed in his own personal defeat. "Deidara…"

"I'm alright, hm." By the strain and anger in his voice, his words were only to imagine. "Where you the one who killed him?"

I scoffed. "Oh! I wish. I desire that over everything I attempted to accomplish in my life. But no." I murmured in a deeper voice, completely sarcastic and bitter towards the situation. "Itachi Uchiha's younger brother got to him first and stole the thing I had needed. I'll end up finding him again in the future and owing the pleasure of ringing his little spoiled Uchiha neck until it comes off on its own. I wish fate wasn't as cruel with me; always playing with my enemies like puppets on a string. I ACTUALLY want something accomplished. Killing that poor bastard should have awakened my aggression, but only just put it to shame on myself. If only, Deidara… at least I know my fate with you."

Deidara swallowed, probably thinking of that last sentence as something ridiculous, like getting married and living our long lives together. I almost shutter at the thought. My heart still belongs to Uchiha.

The blonde terrorist stiffened under his emotions. "I'll… kill Sasuke Uchiha for this then. He killed the person who I wanted to kill all this time; to show my art. He was creepy, hm. I seriously think he scared me." He laughed like he was out of it, looking towards his memories for reference. "He tried to capture me one time for his experiments; he wanted to take a look at my hands. Creeper. I showed him the true meaning of my art… heh, it was a bang, un. Almost blew him out of the sky."

Of course his 'courageous' story would have some negativity to him from the past, but Deidara, being himself, would smother a little braggery and false self-esteem. I bet Orochimaru almost had his head.

I let him continue, smiling sweetly, but mostly in amusement for his bravado. He raised an eyebrow in confusion, but accepted my smile proudly. "But he escaped. Damn snake… I was planning to kill him off someday. But who the hell knew that Uchiha was going to?" His temper was getting to him. But he realized this and took in a deep breath of atmosphere.

"I going to kill him for us, hm. Sasuke Uchiha will be dead due to my art!"

He seemed proud of himself and his words of promise. But he competed with me on this goal, and if it comes between this false relationship and killing to the man whom assassinated Orochimaru… I'd certainly love revenge. I could see the scarlet already. My brain over took my heart this time.

But I thought of this morning and Itachi's ultimate promise. To keep little Sasuke safe… goddamn, I hate this. But I honor him by carrying out this duty. The raw emotions felt rock hard inside my abdomen. This was awful to use in action, but I can't let his younger brother, his life, his dream… go into death. Go into death by some cocky ambitious blonde who can't even keep his thoughts and greed to himself.

I shook my head. I wanted to kill him… but I loved Itachi. Hm. The heart won this battle, but not the entire war.

"Deidara…"

"Yeah, hm?"

I turned to him slowly with an edge of a smile. "So do you really believe in yourself to ACTUALLY achieve this task of killing Sasuke Uchiha?" Persuasiveness was a good tactic. But then again, this was Deidara that I was having this conversation with. _Think again about your actions, Tetane… _

"HA! Why would you ever doubt that, hm?"

I heaved it all in, all my thoughts and wants about killing Sasuke, but I can't let myself or Deidara do this.

"He's stronger, smarter… he killed Orochimaru solely by himself! If you couldn't achieve that point, and Sasuke could, then why would the competition stand! Deidara, you'll die out there if you restrain yourself!"

He blinked his sharp blue eye a couple of times, trying to reflect on my persuasion, but was stuck by the fact that I had muttered those words to him. He shook his head once, and his fists trembled as his face got hot with the limit of his outrage. "Are… are you really KIDDING me hm? You doubt me and my art for a first time? Tetane, I thought you were my number one fan out there… I thought we were able to comply with this and our relationship!"

What I really wanted to speak was of the fact that there was no relationship and that my business was none of his concern, but I wasn't intent on harshening the mood. "Deidara, I love you. Truly. That's why I don't want you to get hurt… or even worse out there. It'll just tear my heart apart."

_Awful lies_, my conscious had muttered with a ooze of sarcasm, _But they'll get to him. He's too_ _full of himself and you. _

"Tetane…" Deidara murmured, and came closer, but with a more alert tone, "I feel the same, hm. But there's no worries! I'll beat that son of a bitch!"

There was no way to get though him. This is usually the part where Tetane Namikaze uses the Raikugan or really starts to persuade and control people to get what she wants in life. But not today. I just need one action to end this argument, and then Itachi's will can still have more of a chance of surviving.

I leaned into Deidara, closer to him, and touched my lips with his. He hesitated to my affectionate action, but he complied as he closed his eyes to kiss me back. He held onto my hair, pulling himself to my lips as my eyes closed. My eyelashes fluttered on my skin as he held my head to meet his. To be perfectly honest, it was pure bliss. I felt affection for him; the man kissing me in the middle of this barren part of the Amegakure society, but we felt all alone in the world, only us and our synchrony. Deidara loved me since the beginning when he laid his sharp blue eye on me for the first time. He found his perfect match, someone to share his art with; to avenge for whenever he had his full chakra at hand. He called me his ultimate art, his personal meaning of hat true art really was. And for him, it was the best complement of love there was.

For me… it was complicated. As we kissed, our soft lips against the pouring rain, I debated. My heart pounded, trying to force itself out of my ribcage every time one raindrop fell to the earth below us. My heart wanted Itachi Uchiha right there instead of Deidara. But he loved his Shinobi way and his brother more than considering a relationship with me. But I couldn't care right now. I wasn't as in love with the blonde terrorist, but he cared for me. I couldn't argue with that.

But I thought conflicted with my previous thoughts. I thought of my mindset. For everything. The man I was kissing was a murderer of thousands of lives, adult, Shinobi, children… I didn't want to imagine the kinds of insane deaths that Deidara had inflicted upon so many. His art magnified from the deaths and fatalities behind all of his terrorist attacks. I remembered brief events about his attack upon Sunagakure, taking Gaara. He literally had killed Gaara… no. NO. WE had killed Gaara. His death triggered my rage against this group, and Naruto's vengeance against all of us. Naruto… and he'll be next…

My lips disconnected from Deidara's, and he opened his eyes in a shock. "God, hm, you're crying."

I came up with a cover-up."Just the rain."

"Your eyes are red. Come on." He held out his hand in attempt to comfort me, but that only deepened my heart even more.

I took a step back, eyes swollen. I haven't truly cried since I recalled my emotional wreckage to Kisame about two months ago. He noted this, and swallowed, not sure what he had done to make my content camouflage collapse. "Did I do anything-"

"Deidara… it's nothing."

"You're lying, hm." His voice trembled behind the rain.

My rage consumed some of my judgment. My voice was sore from coughing, but it didn't stop me from having a clear tone. "…do you know how many people you've killed in your life, Deidara?"

Silence penetrated the area as the blonde's eye widened and then narrowed with confusion. He didn't open his mouth to speak, ironically for once. I stepped back another step, putting up a hand-sign.

"Just think about it and get back to me."

I disappeared into the rain, glistening until I blended in with the water droplets. Deidara stared, but defiantly, like he had a reason. I sighed after leaving… it's either he feels remorse or I let him die by Sasuke's vengeful hand.

. . .

Deidara's Point of View:

Damn. I did something wrong. I kicked the ground after Tetane left in her little gen-jutsu. Shit.

God, I think of her as my art. She's fleeting, beautiful, and a sight to see and be amazed by. But she's pissed. She was crying after I kissed her. Was it my bad kissing? Nah, that's DEFINETELY not it. But she asked me about the people I killed. I was confused by that; was she talking about the people that were amazed and affected by my art? That would be pretty much everyone whom have seen the mesmerizing explosives that are my artistic jutsu. I was proud of the after effects, so I kept performing my art. So in my life… thousands upon thousands. Organizations, cities, and villages have trembled under my art.

"Senpai… SENPAI!"

I turned to see Tobi coming to me, clutching his man-pouch. Oh, this is always not good.

"Dei-Deidara Senpai! Is the scary girlfriend gone?"

By the way she acted to me after kissing her; I don't think I even have a girlfriend. "… yes…"

"OH MY GOSH! SHE KICKED TOBI IN THE-"

"I don't want to know, hm!" I yelled, pushing his masked face out of mine. I honestly think he needs a lesson in tolerance and maturity. I stomped out of the way, and Tobi got in front of me. "Come on, Senpai! Let's go get that Sanbi!"

I was going to seriously hurt him.

. . .

Naruto's Point of View:

I leapt from tree to tree, branch to branch. My eyes kept searching. Searching for Tetane. She has to be somewhere in the world.

I think I'm in Ame now… it's called the Rain Village. It definitely has meaning to its name. Amegakure… I'm far from home now. Ero-Senin's gunna be pissed, and Sakura's going to pound my head, along with Kaka-sensei and Granny Tsunade. Well, once I'm going to bring Tetane home from Shark Face, they'll have a statue made for me. Sixth Hokage, dattebayo!

I looked around the place, searching for my sis. God, those stupid Akatsuki assholes have to be somewhere with her! I keep looking in the stupid rain and woods, and I can't find crap! There's no turning back though; it's either our lives on the line or we are both outa here. Oh, Tetane-nii-chan will be so happy I got her away from them all, and she'll let me be Hokage… that's the best scenario.

But what they'll do to me like they did to Gaara… I can't afford that. And Tetane might be too brainwashed to care about me anymore. Whatever, I don't want that to happen, and it won't!

I leapt though of the woods until I saw an ounce of light, pushing its way to make it to the shadows of the continuous trees. And I saw artificial lights, a village maybe, Amegakure at best. Yes! Finally!

"YOU… BAKA!"

A punch came to my face and only one person came to my mind as I knocked down to the ground, eating dirt…

"Sakura-chan! Uh, what are you doing here?"

I tried to cover up my innocence with a sloppy smile, but she smacked me again. Apparently she wasn't in the mood to fall for it. "God, Naruto, even since two years you're STILL an idiot! Trying to come to Amegakure without Lady Tsunade's permission, and-"

"Shhhhhh!"

Her jaw dropped in fury. "Don't you shhh me!"

"Sakura-chan, Akatsuki might be here. We can't blow our cover, dattebayo." I pulled her down to the nearest bushes, trying to cover her mouth, but she restrained. "AKATSUKI?"

"Shhhh!"

Sakura-chan blinked and smacked her head with her own disappointment. "Gosh, sorry, Naruto. _But really?_" She spoke in a whisper this time, sharp as a sword. "_The Akatsuki?_ _You're after Tetane, aren't you? Gosh, Naruto, you're a pain sometimes! … You have to accept that she'll find her way to come back; you're risking YOUR life on the line for this!"_

She sighed, putting her hand on my shoulder, trying her best to smile. "We just need to wish her the best."

Sakura-chan flashed her lily green eyes at me, so I quivered, trying not to give in. Agh, fine. Her eyes got me there, and the fact that Tetane DEFINETELY has the ability to get the hell out of there sometime. Right? My mind was still tugging on the opinion, dattebayo.

I shuffled to get up, and Sakura-chan followed in pursuit, finally happy that I was in agreement with her on something for once. "Okay then? Good, let's get the hell out of here, Kakashi-sensei was on his way, but we won't need his help for anything…"

"Are you sure about that?"

The stillness of the voice behind us stunned me to automatically turn around, and my ears have definitely been playing tricks on me. That's not possible, we- I mean, she found us already. Sakura-chan turned around too, and both of us were almost literally petrified with so many emotions overflowing at the same time, causing complete silence. There was so much to say at the right time.

Tetane was caught off guard to see us both. Eyes widened, she clutched her… Akatsuki cloak… in such shock. She nearly collapsed when seeing us.

She took a breath with each word spoken. "Oh… my-god… Naruto? Sakura?"

I got a little chance of reality to grasp what she really physically looked like. Same hair, same eyes. Except she had that CLOAK. Those people killed Gaara. I heard from Gaara that she herself had mentally killed him. My sister…. But she was as petrified as we were. She also had her hair up in a messy bun, too messy, like chaos struck her instantly when changing her hair. There were dark circles under her eyes, and she looked like she was in the need of sunlight, her skin being close to pale, not peachy like last time. But the one thing that scared me the most was a few scars on her neck, stretching from the back to the edges of the sides. That was a bite… a SHARK BITE.

But I was too in utter shock to care. Tetane was here in front of us, in all the time spent on shock.

"TETANE?"

"Sakura… it's been a while… how… is everything at… my village?" She was still twitching her fingers clutching the cloak. One of the fingers had a ring of silver-blue and a kanji in the center. She was officially in.

She turned to me, golden eyes even wider. She tried to smile. "Naruto…"

"Tetane! Oh shit, we've fucking missed you, DATTEBAYO!" I got up entirely, and ran to her, putting my arms around her and her still position. She was cold. Too cold. She didn't say anything but just stared blankly ahead.

I didn't entirely care; we got Tetane Namikaze back for us and the village! "Sis! So much happened while you were away! Okay, so Gaara died you thought, but he's ALIVE! And Sai's on our team, and Captain Yamato, and we saw that Orochimaru got killed? Did you kill him? Oh! And we saw Sasuke! He asked where you were, and he said that we wanted vengeance, whatever that means; dattebayo. Probably his brother… so how are you?"

Right now I was too excited to care and Sakura-chan was about to ring my neck until it rolled off my shoulders. Tetane was still in the same position, not answering any questions that came off the top of my head. Just… rigid. "Get out of here… Naruto…" was the only thing she said.

Silence slashed the conversation, and Tetane seemed colder. "What? You're really starting to freak me out, sis…"

"Well, well, the supposed Jinchuuriki. How timely. Great job, Tetane."

And Tetane separated from me, her eyes in worry for me now. A shriek came from Sakura-chan's lips, and she was held up by the neck with a familiar sword.

"COME ON, SHARK FACE! LET HER GO!"

Kisame Hoshigaki's parted mouth came into a sneer as he heard the delight of Sakura-chan's trials of escaping and all the cries she gave out. "Suppose you wanna trade yourself for her life? I have intention of spilling blood. And today's the day for it, kyuubi."

My eyes widened and grip on my fist increased until it turned white with purple markings. I had nothing to say, but should say something at this time. I felt isolated, terrified of the results coming up. So, being little brother, screamed for mercy. "TETANE! HELP HERE WOULD BE GREAT!"

I looked to her to give me something, and she did. Nothing positive though. She smiled, twitching her sarcastic smile upward and dulled the light in her eyes, still gripping the cloth she wore. "Naruto… heh, I've been saying that name for a while now, begging for a way out. Then I joined. I felt power. I felt that the world could revolve around me with this group. With my Raikugan and my allies, I could rule with complete obedience. Can't you imagine that, little brother? All to the floor, all to submit to ANYTHING you say? I don't believe you do. You can be a prime example. You are a Jinchuuriki to capture and extract. With that power, I can make your kind bow as well. All the control to a never-ending limit. All that chakra makes me and Samehada there hungry. All that power and control. I fight for it all the time. I crave it all day, all night. That's MY Shinobi way."

She kicked some dirt from the ground casually as I stood there and while Shark Face had Sakura struggling to free herself. "You've always wanted to know MY Shinobi way, correct, Naruto-kun?" She giggled, no, laughed in her new cruelty like she found this scenario amusing. "Oh, but you don't know ANYTHING about me either."

"Yeah, sure as hell!" I spat, trying to get the words out, "Here's one question, SIS… why the hell are you betraying us, dattebayo?"

Shark Face laughed behind Sakura's struggle. "Because she's in Akatsuki, and forgot all about you and the relationship you had with her. She's ours now. No changing her now, Blondie! Isn't that correct, Tetane?"

She sighed, her smile fading. "Of course, Master Kisame."

_What? When has Tetane ever called anyone 'master'? She'd be the LAST person to say that!_

"MASTER? What kind of sick game is this, Tetane?"

She smirked. "It's no game, Naruto-kun. I honestly don't know why you would think that when I could just let your life slip between our fingers. Master is just a formal expression. It stands for loyalty to the other person."

"And after that defeat, you let yourself call him your master?"

She had no immediate retort after my words, her lips quivering with golden eyes widened. I grinned firmly. "Good, you're snapping out of it!"

Then with the caress of the shadows in front of her face, she tilted back and laughed gradually. Crazilly. It shook my ears to hear that sarcastic laugh, dattebayo. And she smiled afterwards, looking at the ground with her hands shaking uncontrollably. "Oh, Naruto… so foolish. So much of an outcast that your village mentally abandoned you for isolation. I once felt sympathy, but that passed like the seasonal weather. You are only a part of what we, the Akatsuki, need in order for our complete dominance… and MY goal of complete and utter control. So I would suggest you give yourself up, BROTHER. It looks like you have no choice, though. Either we let Sakura live and have you in our grasp, or my master will snap her neck faster than you can say: 'dattebayo'."

"Naruto… NARUTO! Don't let her get to you!" Sakura snarled, her neck pressed against Samehada, Shark Face never even hesitating to keep her there, "Tetane… listen to me now. You're not with them; your alliance is with Konaha! Don't you understand that?"

My sister sighed, coming towards Sakura, and I took a step towards the scenario. Tetane heard the crinkle of the leaves on my feet. "Stay there, kyuubi. Or you'll regret that step." She sided towards Sakura, who was struggling of getting out of Shark Face's grip with no expression. Then she smirked.

"Sakura… you were such a good friend. There to help, always to hear my doubts. But so simple-minded-"

"SIMPLE MINDED? You… I remember your words saying that I was smarter than any kunoichi you've ever met."

Tetane made a sideways glance just to see me still in place, and turned back. "Hm. But all that intelligence is blocked with stupid and lovestruck decisions… to see Sasuke? Sasuke Uchiha was Orochimaru's pawn; his personality is diminished from this earth. He doesn't see you as anything more than something to squash."

Then my plan came out. I came out of the tree ahead right where Tetane was standing and launched for attack. "YOU'RE GOING TO PAY FOR THAT ONE, SIS!"

Tetane rolled her eyes as my clone came down in pursuit of stinking her down. "A shadow clone? Pathetic."

She threw a kunai out of the side of her cloak, but it hit me right in the shoulder, causing me a crapload of pain, dattebayo. But my clone disappeared from where it had been standing from the scene. I quickly pulled a kunai from my pouch and held it to attack. "Think again!"

Her eyes widened in unintentional panic and leapt to the side along with Shark Face and Sakura. Only Sakura-chan's screams pierced the air, and I landed on my feet in frustration. "Sakura-chan, I'm getting you back, dattebayo!"

Tetane's sarcastic smile darkened the area. "Oh, that's a good little joke. She only gets in the way of us seeking you out, kyuubi."

And in that little comment, Shark Face grabbed Sakura-chan by the neck, and moved his fingers only to make her neck snap. Her eyes widened, and then closed slumping on his Akatsuki cloak in unconscious movement. My heart leapt and my stomach couldn't get any more sickened. The Nine-Tails inside me tried to channel this anger that I held against him… and now Tetane.

With one little push, Kisame Hoshigaki threw my helpless partner to Tetane. "Here… extra luggage. Just get back here right after. Do away with her how you like… I want to take the kyuubi himself. I haven't seen him since, ah… three years ago… and SAMEHADA'S HUNGRY FOR THAT CHAKRA."

I turned drastically to Tetane, and with one hand sign and a smirk, my sister disappeared with Sakura-chan in a change of pattern to the leaves on the trees replacing her physical image. My blood boiled to a point where my eyes glowed red and my teeth clenched with the eager to taste blood. I tore throw the leaves that she created to escape and all were torn with my rage. "TETANE COME BACK!"

The cloak formed around my body, and I was controlled by my hatred for him… all of this was Shark Face's fault. I slammed the ground with howls intended… he captured my sister. He did something to her that changed her. If it was just his partner with those Sharingan eyes or the insanity of torture she had… I don't want to think about it. Or anything… except finishing that man off right now.

"The cloak of the kyuubi… heh, what a sight to see. Tetane told ALL about you… she spilled everything. You know, I give you credit, kyuubi. Dealing with her must have been a pain. I bet you regret the day she called you her brother, right?"

_No. Never…_

He leaned in, enjoying the pleasure of my anger coming out in chakra form. "And you know, the battle was three days and three nights on the ocean. THE OCEAN. So stupid to face me. So foolishly ambitious to end one of the Akatsuki member's lives. Instead I defeated her and got her that little curse mark on her neck. Do you know what it does?"

_Keep your cool. He's just trying to rub it in your face!_

"Well, it's something I got. It grants the victim the chakra desired… but also delivers a twist. The inflictor has complete dominance over the flow of chakra and her actions when performing jutsu."

"THEN YOU'RE CONTROLLING HER? My skin ripped and flew to dissolve in the cloak, my claws sheathed to kill.

"Hm. I'm not really the controlling type. That's her skill. But I have NO idea HOW she came up to properly behave like this. Usually she would take the guts to escape with her brother and friend… that's too bad for you, huh? I bet my partner and his eye had something to do with it…"

"THAT'S ENOUGH!"

"Obeying the Akatsuki's orders. Doing what's best for the organization. I don't know what got into her, frankly! I'm sorry that you couldn't stop her from this… but it's too late now. She's all ours!"

"FUCK OFF!"

I ran to rip his fishy head off. He grinned, waiting conspicuously for this moment of rage to happen. I lost myself in the kyuubi's rage, and bones appeared within the darkness of the cloak, causing me such incredible pain… and power. The power to kill this man.

Then as soon a ran to his heart to rip it out… my actions stopped with a point of pressure on my stomach, causing the chakra sensation to cease within me. Tetane was back, grabbing my cloak, twisting her fist into my stomach, interlocking fingers to create that pattern to stop the boiling kyuubi power within me. I could clearly see the scene… Tetane in front of me, grasping onto my stomach so tightly that the cloak had no protections. Then a paper crumbled to my stomach, my eyes drooped, but my heart was still aflame with that hatred. Tetane sharply glared at the situation, pushing this paper seal into my stomach with her master behind her, smirking in success.

"Just in time Tetane. Your kid brother was causing problems." The bubbles evaporated and the red eyes that held despair for the scenario had disappeared into my blue. Tetane still clutched onto my stomach, and let go once I leapt back with barely any balance. This is nauseating, this feeling of shock and overdose in evil chakra. It was when I saw my sister's face that I simmered down.

"Hm. Naruto, I guess you haven't controlled that demon inside you yet. Good. Less of a threat now that his kyuubi chakra has evaporated away."

I unintentionally gulped, letting myself crumble to the ground on my sister's feat. I tried to stand up, cringing for that boost of extra chakra. Damn that fox…

"I'm sorry for coming so late. I was journeying on the path of life."

That familiar voice almost caught to me, and I looked in a locked-in smile. "Kakashi Sensei!"

Tetane narrowed her eyes. "Hm. SENPAI."

Kisame groaned, throwing Samehada to his back in protest. "Ah, it's been a while, Sharingan Kakashi."

My sensei sighed, seeing Tetane in that cloak, standing on the branch of a tree twenty feet high. "Tetane-chan. I never knew you'd cross into THAT line. I'm very disappointed."

She shrugged, linking eyes at Shark Face, but glared at Kakashi Sensei with a smirk. "Oh, this'll be an interesting battle."

Kakashi smirked as she did, leaping down. "Hopefully I can knock some sense into you. Now… where's Sakura?"

Holy shit…. How the HELL could I forget about her, dattebayo?

"Sensei…" I struggled to form words, "… Tetane…"

Kakashi's grey eye widened and turned directly to Tetane, laughing at what she saw with my sensei. Kakashi lifted his headband, gripping it with a cringe to his face. "Well, hopefully she's safe. But for now, our mission is to capture her back."

Shark Face snickered in pure thrill that he was fighting with that Samehada thing. "Over my dead body."

Kakashi grinned. "That's what I was expecting to hear."

. . .


End file.
